


Taking a Stand

by marinstan



Series: Choices [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Relationship (not the main pairing), Anal Fingering, Angst, Blowjobs, Case Fic, Dubious Consent, Fluff, Healing, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mild Smut, Slow Burn (I guess?), it's all super sweet though I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:55:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22278226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marinstan/pseuds/marinstan
Summary: Four years after the war, Harry Potter is working as an Auror in Training - with a bunch of Slytherins constantly keeping him on his toes.When Draco Malfoy joins their team, things are shaken up quite a bit, for Draco more than anyone else.As Draco, trapped in a toxic relationship, is starting to question all the things he never had before, Harry has a hard time accepting that maybe, just maybe, the line between love and hate really is a thin one.All the while solving their first real case - together.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Choices [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603606
Comments: 25
Kudos: 198





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> A little heads-up: If you came here for wicked Auror-Action and thrilling plot twists, this probably isn't the fic for you. It might disguise itself as a Case Fic, but it really is more about the relationship between our favorite boys and how they're both growing and learning more about themselves and each other. Plus, there is a fair share of friendship and Slytherin snark, as well as Drag-Appreciation and more than a little angst.  
> Disclaimer: I thought about it and chose not to use Archive Warnings. BUT - there is some violence happening at some point, even though I wouldn't call it graphic. The Dubious-Consent tag had me sweating as well. In the end, I decided not to tag it as rape, because I don't think it really is, but should you be sensitive about things like this, I'd advise you to proceed with caution.  
> Now enough of my rambling - happy reading!
> 
> -I'm currently revising this story!-

Harry has always hated rainy days. The sky is gray and full of doom, droplets of water on his glasses obscure his vision and his clothes are slowly getting soaked. He has also never been good with an Impervius charm. Back in Hogwarts, Hermoine used to cast it for him, keeping his glasses water-free during Quidditch games.  
But now, at twenty-two, as a (supposedly) grown-ass man with a job, he reckons he can't get away with running to his best friend to spell him dry anymore.

The Ministry for Magic is buzzing with witches and wizards coming in, the Atrium almost overflowing. Every single floo supplies a never-ending stream of people stumbling into the building, most of them looking slightly disoriented for a moment, despite having done it hundreds of times before.

„Harry! Wait up, mate.“

Ron is jogging up to Harry, a crooked smile on his freckled face. Harry turns, smiling back at him.

„We're not working together anymore, Ron.“

His other best friend, who is probably shit at Impervius charms as well as Harry himself is, rolls his eyes.

„Bloody hell, you're not still sulking over that, are you?“

They fall in step together, passing a group of wizards that are working in Magical Law Enforcement with Harry. He sometimes sees a couple of their sort in his office, even though they're not Aurors, but lab rats. Not to sound condescending – without them, they'd never solve anything.

He nods curtly at Parkinson, who returns the gesture, eyes as razor sharp as her eyeliner. Since they've been involved due to several different cases now, they'd had not much of a choice but to work through some of their issues

„I still can't believe she actually apologized to you,“ Ron says, as if he'd have read his thoughts. His eyes are on Parkinson and her expression is cooling significantly.

„Yeah, well. I guess she didn't want to sabotage her own career. Bad blood between coworkers is always a pain in the ass.“

Ron laughs.

„You can say that. Imagine working with your ex.“

Harry rolls his eyes at Ron's sour expression.

„You and Lavender have been over for, what now? Six years?“

Ron's eyes grow comically huge.

„Believe me, I thought we'd be cool as well. I mean, how was I supposed to know that she's still holding a grudge?“

Harry smiles. Ron and he have covered this topic already. More than once.

„Yeah... women. They'll always remain a mistery, won't they?“

Ron grins.

„You'd think living with one would give you some kinda insight, but not really.“

Harry hides the sting Ron's words are leaving very carefully. It's not only selfish, but also pathetic to be jealous of Ron and Hermione moving in together.

If Ron would have had his way, they'd have lived together since right after Hogwarts, but Hermione didn't want to. She said she'd wanted to have a place of her own first and left Ron no choice but to accept that.

Much to Harry's benefit, who got to share a flat with his best mate. Living with Ron for those two years had been great – even better than the dorms at Hogwarts.

But now Ron is all shackled up with Hermione (it is only a matter of time until he'd pop the question, Harry is sure) and Harry is living on his own. Which is not a problem, but sometimes, it can leave just the slightest trace of bitterness, thinking about his best friends' happy ever after.

Especially since his own blew up right after he left Hogwarts.

„I gotta go,“ Ron says, chagrin in his voice. Harry doesn't pity him – he knows Ron loves his new job at the Quidditch League Headquarters. How ever much Harry might hate Ron leaving the Aurorforce, even he can see that his friend is happier now.

Quidditch seems to be the youngest Weasleys' destiny, considering that Ginny is now playing professionally – and pretty successful with it. Harry has yet to watch her on the pitch.

Their breakup had been a messy one.

„I'll see you later,“ Harry says, before heading to the Auror Headquarters.

When Harry slips through the door, Terry is already there, a messy stack of files spread on his desk, a steaming cup of coffee half empty.

He's not the only one – next to him is sitting Zabini. Harry knows he should start calling the Slytherin by his given name, but he feels they're just not quite there yet. Zabini, despite ever so polite, keeps his distance from Harry if he can help it.

„Have you seen Parker?“ Archer asks, only briefly looking up from his own desk that is littered with little notes.

„Not yet, sir.“ Harry's Headauror sighs.

It's not the first time Sam is late. She's going to have a real problem if she keeps it up, Archer has told her so multiple times now. Maybe Harry should talk to her again as well. The last thing he wants is having her kicked off the team.

„Apologies.“

With a whisper of her long blue coat, Sam rushes through the door and drops into the seat next to Harry. Her black hair is shining, fallling down to her hips, styled impeccably, and her lipstick today is dark red.

„Look who decided to show up,“ Zabini drawls. „Long night, Samantha?“

She raises one of her dark brows at him, then picks up her cup of bad Ministry coffee. Her nails match her lipstick.

„Maybe. What about you, Zabini? Looking a little edgy.“

Harry resists the urge to roll his eyes. Slytherins really are exhausting sometimes.

Archer's dark brows meet over the bridge of his nose. He's already well over fifty, but his eyes are still piercing and one look of him is usually enough to silence the room.

They begin the day with wrapping up some of last week's work – nothing special or overly exciting, mostly just stolen wands and some misuse of magic that the department down the floor was too lazy to deal with.

Aurors in training are worse off than interns – they get all the shit jobs, Harry knows that now.

„I'm starting to suspect that they're putting our patience to the test,“ he says in Sam's direction as he's listlessly sorting through some files concerning a minor that thought it would be a fun idea to make a little extra cash by selling some sketchy potions' ingredients for one of the stores in Knockturn Alley. Really, Harry feels like that doesn't actually belong in his department, but he knows better than to complain. If there is one thing Archer hates, then it's people being whiny.

„More like our self-control. Not to set this whole desk on fire really does call for more self-restraint than I usually practice,“ Sam says and Harry smiles. He has come to like this haughty Slytherin with a chronic tendency to be late for everything.

„Did you find anything on that lost Gillyweed?“ Terry asks them, leaning over his desk, looking a little desperate. His nose ring glitters in the yellowish light of their office and his big blue eyes swim with confusion.

Harry flips through another stack of files. Files. What a disgusting word. Horrific, really.

„No, sorry. Zabini might,“ Harry says, looking at the wizard, who rolls up the sleeves of his dark green shirt, exposing lean, smooth-skinned black forearms.

„Skim that,“ he says, handing Terry a folder.

„Even though I'm almost certain that this is actually Samantha's job, not yours,“ he adds, dark eyes fixed on the witch next to Harry.

Sam's eyes narrow.

„And I'm almost certain no one gives a damn about what you think, Zabini.“

Harry and Terry exchange a quick look. The Ravenclaw tends to be intimidated by the Slytherins snapping at each other – but he is also better than Harry at easing the tension.

„Thanks, Blaise,“ Terry says and flips through the sheets.

Just then, the door opens.

Archer, who usually leaves them to their own devices during most of the days, walks in.

Followed closely by no other than Draco Malfoy.

Everyone stills and looks up. The reasons for their reactions are very different ones.

As for Zabini, he's still quite close with Malfoy, at least as far as Harry is informed, so he's probably wondering why he didn't know that Malfoy would show up in their office today.

Sam used to grill Harry about Malfoy, because their families are very distantly related and she has apparently heard a lot of stories about Malfoy – being two years older than the rest of them, she didn't see much of him in Hogwarts.

And Harry – well, Harry almost never sees Malfoy around these days. He's spoken for him at the Malfoy trials, almost four years ago. Lucius Malfoy is since rotting in Azkaban, as he deserves to. Narcissa Malfoy's wand is broken, while their son has gotten off with a strict warning and a restraining order – he's not to leave Britain and has to wear a magic-tracker, meaning the Ministry can trace every single charm, spell or curse Malfoy casts.

After the trials had been over, Harry hadn't seen or heard anything from Malfoy until three years later, when Hermione told him he'd work as an Unspeakable now. It's still beyond Harry how the Ministry is willing to trust Malfoy enough to do that kind of work. The Unspeakables might be even more important than the Aurors and they definitely have to handle more rare and sometimes devastating magic.

„We've got a new case,“ Archer announces, as always without any preamble. „Unspeakable Malfoy will work with us on it.“

Terry, Sam and Harry exchange looks.

Malfoy looks remarkably uncomfortable in his crisp shirt. Harry is surprised to see him wear muggle clothes. It has become a trend amongst wizards during the last couple of years, but many still insist on so-called proper attire, especially when at work.

His black trouseres accentuate his long, lean legs and seem, all in all, as muggle as it gets.

Zabini is looking at Malfoy, brows slightly furrowed, but Malfoy avoids his gaze.

„Why him?“ Harry says bluntly. If no one else is going to speak up, he will. The last thing he wants to do is having to work with Malfoy. Even though Harry doesn't consider Malfoy his enemy anymore like he had in school (it seems so childish now), Malfoy is most definitely not his friend. Most importantly, Harry doesn't trust Malfoy. In any regard.

Zabini might not ever become his best mate either, but he trusts him to be able to do his work and do it well, without backstabbing him.

Granted, right now their dull office work doesn't really leave any room for backstabbing anyway, but they had trained in field together and that had been significantly more exciting. Despite not necessarily liking each other, Harry knows that he can trust Zabini with his life if he has to.

He'd never, in a million years, do the same for Malfoy. The Slytherin would probably run at the first sign of danger. The Malfoy Harry used to know would have, that is for sure at least.

Archer pierces Harry with his gaze.

„Malfoy is in training, just as you lot are. Or do you think the Department of Mysteries would give you one of their elders to solve your practice cases for you?“

Harry feels the familiar anger flare inside of him, hot liquid boiling, a beast rearing its head. Maybe it's time to give them some real cases, then, he wants to say.

Under the table, Sam has put a firm hand on his leg and squeezes. Her sharp fingernails dig into his denims and Harry bites his tongue. It's not easy.

He's become an Auror to help, afterall. To do something important. To do what he's good at – taking down the bad guys.

But now, all he does is sorting through dusty files and figuring out who sold some kid fucking two grams of Gillyweed, dammit.

„Sit,“ Archer says to Malfoy. Terry, always a sweetheart, smiles at him briefly and then scoots over so Malfoy can sit next to Zabini. The dark Slytherin is still trying to catch the blond one's gaze, but Malfoy just shakes his head slightly, jaw set.

„Alright, newbies. Our new case will actually be calling for some thinking. I hope you haven't forgotten how that works by now.“

Sam grins wryly and Terry chuckles. Harry is still staring at Malfoy. The Slytherin hasn't looked at him once so far and it irritates Harry. Irks him, even. He's not used to Malfoy ignoring him.

„We've got reports of Ipo Trafficking.“

Sam's eyes flickers.

„What's Ipo?“

„Illegal Potions,“ Zabini says and Sam presses her lips together. Harry knows that she hates nothing more than feeling less smart than Blaise Zabini.

„Apparently, two people have died due to overuse and pollution of those Ipos. The Department of Mysteries is raging, because those fuckers use ingredients that should only be available to Unspeakables, yet somehow, they got a hold of them and are merrily spreading them among minors and adults equally, not even knowing how to properly use them – hence the deaths. And since Unspeakables don't like to get their hands dirty, it's now our job to hunt down the bad guys for them.“

„Wait up,“ Harry says. „I thought this is just practice?“

Archer looks at him impassively.

„Every case should be practice, Potter. I certainly hope your skills will be a little more refined after this one. You could definitely use some more finesse.“

Harry swallows, torn between annoyance and excitement. If he just got it right, then this is an actual case – not a petty offense no one gives a shit about and not a simulated case. A real one. His blood is starting to buzz in anticipation.

„What kinds of potiones are being trafficked?“ Sam asks, tilting her head. Her almond eyes, betraying her Chinese heritage, have that special glint in them, the one Harry hasn't really seen since their field training days.

Archer looks at Malfoy and the rest of them follows his examply.

Malfoy clears his throat and shifts in his seat. His silver-blond hair has grown and is now brushing his sharp jawline, falling to his shoulders and hiding his face quite effectively. He pushes it behind his ears before starting to speak.

„Most of them are used for better focus and endurance. One centilitre will allow you to stay up two nights in a row, working or partying – depending on the user's intentions.“

„Like coke or something,“ Harry says and everyone but Terry looks at him in confusion.

„It's a muggle drug,“ he says, flapping his hand. „Go on,“ he then says, looking at Malfoy and for the first time since he walked in, the first time in years, really, their eyes lock.

It's weird to have those pale, gray eyes fixed on him again. They seem different than Harry rembers them, somehow more shuttered, maybe a little calmer as well.

But at the same time, he's taken back to school, having those eyes on him while Malfoy'd insult him and Harry would feel his blood boiling.

Malfoy looks away first.

„The other type is something like the Daydream-Potions that flooded the black market two years back. They seem to be opiates and have a smilar effect as alcohol, only much stronger. Sometimes they can cause hallucinations.“

„Isn't that type currently a major problem in brothels?“ Zabini chimes in.

Everyone looks at him.

„I think I've heard that there have been some dead prostitutes because of those potions. It seems like since it's available, many prostitutes use it.“

Harry has no idea how Zabini knows that and maybe, he doesn't really want to know.

Malfoy just nods.

„Yes. They are highly addicting and many understimate the effect of those potions.“

He touches his eyebrow and Harry wonders if it's a sign of headache.

„Well, then I suggest you check some of the Knockturn Alley clubs for said Ipos,“ Archer says. „Get to work.“

Harry has already forgotten what it feels like to actually work – not kill time until the hours of the day are done and he can finally leave the stuffy office.

Malfoy whips out a stack of neatly organized documents – mostly interviews and reports.

„Pansy is currently running some more tests on the Type A Ipos,“ he says while handing Harry a pile of paper, not looking him in the eye.

By the end of the day, they have a solid plan for the rest of the week – clubs to visit, people to interview and tests to be run.

Around six PM, Sam gets up and stretches. Her spine cracks, making Harry laugh and Zabini frown at her as if she'd bothered him in his concentration – even though he's been staring at the same report for the last thirty minutes, rubbing his eyes discreetly. Maybe he's had a rough weekend.

„I'm in the mood for a drink,“ Sam says. „We should celebrate, right? No more Gillyweed!“

She smiles brightly and Harry suppresses a sigh. Sam has been trying to bring the team together from the start and while Harry appreciates her efforts, he can't help but think they are most likely futile. He likes Terry well enough, but Zabini is a stubborn prick. If he isn't interested in bonding with his coworkers, then so be it.

And Harry'd be dammned if he'd be caught dead sharing a pint with Malfoy of all people.

As that thought goes through his head, he's watching Malfoy – the curtain of light hair covering half his face, the way he's bending his head, trying to make himself look smaller.

Maybe Harry shouldn't be this bitter. Yes, he has the right to resent Malfoy, maybe even hate him – but isn't Harry also always the first one to remind people that times have changed? There are already too many wizards and witches ostracizing Slytherins and former Death Eaters. And while some might deserve that, there are many others who really don't.

Harry can't even count the times anymore Archer had an assault report thrown on his desk, someone being beaten up or worse just because they happened to be sorted into Slytherin or had relatives that had been on the wrong side of the war.

„I'm game,“ Harry says, trying for an easy smile. He and Sam had been out together multiple times now and as long as she's there, it'll be fine.

When they had first been put in a team together, Harry had been curious about her – afterall, Sam is clearly attractive and also smart and driven. Qualities Harry values in a partner.

After one tipsy makeup session though it became obvious that Sam and Harry were never going to happen. Since then, Harry appreciates her as a friend and capable coworker.

„Me too,“ Terry chirps, getting up from his chair and brushing imaginary dust from his denims. His nails are painted blue.

He looks over at Zabini.

„Are you coming too?“

Zabini frowns. Looks at Malfoy.

All eyes are on the two Slytherins.

„I am if you are,“ Zabini says to Malfoy.

From what Harry can tell, Malfoy seems beyond uncomfortable.

„I doubt that I'm welcome. I'm not really part of this team, afterall.“

Malfoy's eyes flick over to Harry and Harry wonders what the blond can read of his expression.

„You are now, aren't you?“ Sam says matter-of-factly.

Malfoy is still hesitating.

„I don't really have time...“

Zabini shoots him a look that seems way too sharp for the situation, Harry thinks.

„Oh, alright. If you insist.“

Malfoy sighs, apparently accepting his defeat.

„Splendid,“ Sam chirps.

Felix's is packed tonight, even though it's a Monday. It's not only Harry and Sam's favorite for an afterwork drink – all young (and also some older) Aurors share their fondness of the cozy bar with the mismatched armchairs and slightly sticky tables.

The unlikely group picks out one of the last free tables. It's not really big enough to fit all of them, but they make it work, Sam, Harry and Terry huddling together on a small sofa, while Malfoy and Zabini take two chairs across from them,

They order their drinks – and are then overcome by an awkward silence.

Merlin, that was a mistake, Harry thinks. They're just not at the stage of sharing drinks yet. Not with Malfoy as a heavily weighing factor of unease sitting at the table.

Harry is still waiting for some of his characteristic sneers, a sharp remark, something. But Malfoy seems to have lost his voice.

To everyone's surprise, it's actually Zabini who is breaking the silence.

„I've never asked, Potter – what happened to Weasley? I remember him training with us and then he suddenly left. Why is that?“

Harry tries his best to hide his suprise and instantly runs every possible reason for Zabini to be interested in Ron's career choices through his head.

Zabini's mouth twitches.

„No need to go all Auror on me. I was just making conversation.“

Even Slytherins don't always have an ulterior motive to every question, it seems.

That makes Harry smile wryly.

„Ron decided he likes Quidditch better than chasing criminals. He's on the fifth level now and pretty happy with it.“

„Smart guy,“ Terry says and Harry can only agree with him.

He studies Malfoy's face. It's hard to tell whether the blond is even listening. He's fidgeting and his eyes keep darting over the room.

„Is he still with Granger?“ Zabini asks.

Just then, their drinks arrive. Harry doesn't miss the way the pretty waitress is eyeing Zabini. He is quite fit, Harry has to admit.

„Why so interested, Zabini?“ Sam asks before Harry can answer him.

Zabini lifts an eyebrow.

„As I said, I'm just making conversation.“

„Are you though? I remember you being quite impressed by a certain know-it-all back in school,“ Malfoy chimes in unexpextedly.

There is an almost-smile on Malfoy's face as he looks at Zabini, something impish in his expression. Harry catches himself staring at the blond.

Zabini crosses his arms.

„So we're talking school crushes now, Draco?“

Harry is still so baffled at the implication that there had been a time Zabini was interested in Hermione that he almost misses the red blotches on Malfoy's neck.

„We're not,“ he says, voice sharp.

Sam looks between the two of them.

„Well, yeah, Ron and Hermione are still together. He moved in with her over a year ago, actually,“ Harry says, just for good measure.

„Lovely,“ Zabini says and Harry can't tell whether he's being ironic or not.

„What about you, Terry?“ Sam asks, looking over to the curly-head. „Any embarassing school-crushes?“

Terry takes a sip from his drink, then smiles sheepishly.

„Nothing major. But I have to admit, Cedric Diggory really was something.“

Harry nods and says without thinking: „Shame he's straight.“

Four pairs of eyes are glued to him. Harry feels his cheeks warm.

„What?“

Zabini shakes his elegant head. „Nothing, really. I think it was just unexpected that the Savior is gay.“

Harry snorts, not amused.

„Yeah, well. I don't think it's any of the public's business who I sleep with. And for the record, I'm bi, not gay.“

Zabini frowns. „I didn't mean to offend you.“

Harry shrugs and smiles crookedly, taking another sip from his drink. He can feel gray eyes on him and it's unsettling. His heart is beating a little too loudly.

„It's all good.“

„So, guys. Now to the important matters. Can you really believe that McGonagall is about to retire?“ Sam says after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

„It's so sad,“ Terry says and just like that, they're all engaged in a conversation about Hogwarts and their former teachers. It's something they all have in common, but each of them provides a different perspective, making for an interesting conversation.

Without realizing it, Harry is relaxing against the soft cushions of the sofa and Sam's warm shoulder, talking animatedly about his failures in Divination. Terry says that once, Trelawny told him he was going to marry a highborn Veela that would eventually murder him in his sleep with a golden necklace, which has everyone choking on their drinks.

It says a lot about the quality of their chatter that Harry only notices a certain ginger approaching the table when she's almost right in front of him.

One minute, he's laughing about something Zabini had said in that dry voice of his, the next, he's looking into brown eyes, his mouth dry.

„Hey, Harry.“ Ginny smiles at him. It's a little forced, as always nowadays. He smiles back, equally forced.

„Didn't think I'd see you here.“

She has the decency to look embarassed. Afterall, she does know that this is Harry's territory. His bar.

Even just thinking it makes him realize how pathetic he is being.

His eyes are wandering over to the girl who's holding Ginny's hand.

Luna's hair is even longer now, slightly past her hips and she's wearing enough bracelets to imitate a rattlesnake.

He's not going to lie – when he first heard that Ginny was going out with Luna, he accidentally exploded a stack of glasses in his kitchen. Because, of course, it couldn't have been someone Harry doesn't know, a random stranger that he could easily despise. No, it had to be Luna – one of his dearest friends. There are not many people who would have been worse.

„How are you doing, Harry? Has it been very strange for you to see Ron and Hermione move in together?“ Luna's voice is as airy as ever.

Harry wants to slam his head against the table. Repeatedly.

Instead, he gives Luna a tortured smile.

„I'm fine. Thanks, Luna.“

„We should hang out sometime. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever,“ she says and both Harry and Ginny cringe.

„Yeah,“ Harry just says, silently thinking that hanging out with Luna is about the last thing he wants to do. Compared to that, hanging out with Malfoy is a breeze.

„Well, we'll be over there,“ Ginny says, voice unnaturally cheery. „See you around, Harry.“

He nods and stares into his drink.

„Awkward,“ Sam comments when the two girls are out of earshot.

„Yup.“ Harry chugs his drink.

It's not even that he necessarily wants Ginny back, he thinks. After almost three years, he's over her. He doesn't dream of her anymore and the thought of her sleeping with other people is... well, not exactly pleasant, but okay. He's okay with it.

But what he's still not okay with is that she destroyed all his plans for the future. Just like that. Without any reason Harry could comprehend. Things were going great, until, one day, they weren't going at all anymore.

Ginny broke up with him completely out of the blue – that's how it was for him, at least. He didn't see it coming.

Still doesn't understand why.

„I imagine having your breakup being dissected by the papers has not been very fun,“ Zabini says.

Everyone at the table knows about Harry and Ginny, the Prophet made sure of that. Lacking facts, they just came up with a lot of theories how and why the realtionship ended. Harry almost wishes one of them would be right.

„You imagine right,“ Harry says with a tight smile.

„The downsides of being famous,“ Sam says, ordering another round of drinks.

„I didn't know she's with Luna now,“ Terry says, frowning.

Harry shrugs. „Yeah, well. They've always worked well together.“

Malfoy is looking at him, those pale eyes irritating Harry more than he cares to admit.

„So, what about you? Zabini? Malfoy? Any bad breakups?“

„Oh, I'm dying to hear this,“ Sam says, leaning forward, basically licking her lips.

Zabini crosses his legs in a very elegant fashion and inspects his long fingers.

„Not really. When Pansy and I ended things, it was rather civilized. We both knew our relationship was expiring. We're still friends, though not as close as we used to be.“

Harry is surprised that Zabini just told them that. If he thinks about it, it's the most he's ever gotten to hear about the Slytherin's private life.

„Malfoy?“ Sam is looking at him with gleaming eyes.

„Yes, Draco. Indulge us.“

If stares could kill, Zabini would be dead. Harry can't help but be curious what part about his love life has Malfoy so embarassed.

„I've got to go,“ the blond Slytherin says – with a look at his phone.

Wonders do seem to never cease, Harry thinks, astonished that Malfoy owns a cellphone.

Zabini frowns at him.

„Why?“

„Yeah, stay a little longer! It's not that late.“

Sam purses her lips.

But Malfoy shakes his head, already standing up. Zabini looks up at him, eyes narrowed.

„Are you leaving because of Derek?“

Harry can see Malfoy's mouth forming a tight line behind strands of pale hair.

„Shut it, Blaise.“

Now Harry's curiosity is peaked.

„Who's Derek?“

Both Slytherins stare at him.

„Draco's boyfriend,“ Zabini drawls and Malfoy looks like he wants to kill him. Harry doesn't understand why.

Maybe he doesn't want people to know he's gay. But that would be a little weird, since there are currently two queer people at their table.

Harry also doesn't understand the strange little jump his heart performs, the slight churn in his stomach. What does he care if Malfoy's gay? Or if he's got a boyfriend?

„I'll see you tomorrow, I assume,“ Malfoy says and before they can answer, he's off.

The cold air is like a slap in his face as Draco steps out of Felix's. He's hurrying, as if afraid that Zabini might charge after him. Which he won't, Draco knows, but still.

Rationality isn't always his strong suit.

And this evening has been so strange, a little paranoia is excusable.

His phone is buzzing again and Draco's fingers twitch. He's already told Derek he's on his way, dammit.

He's not even entirely sure why, but he hates that his new team already knows about Derek. Because Blaise just never keeps his mouth shut, does he?

Draco closes his eyes for a moment.

If he's honest, he doesn't want to go to Derek's. This day has been so exhausting, he just doesn't feel up for it.

And yet, if he doesn't go, it'll only be worse in the end.

But not only being thrown into a team of Aurors, but a team which Potter is a part of – well. Draco thinks he deserves to feel a little worn out.

Potter, with his stupid glasses and that messy hair and annoyingly perfect body.

Blaise always says Potter isn't even that much of an eyecatcher. So does Pansy.

 _He's not bad, of course, but I wouldn't look twice_ , she once summed it up pretty clearly. Draco wants nothing more than to agree with her. He's tried for years. Studied Potter to find a flaw, something that would allow him to not think of him as so absolutely breathtaking in every way. And yet, he never found anything.  
Sure, his knees are kind of knobby and, well, maybe his shoulders aren't as broad as Blaises', his hips not that narrow.

But he still, after years, makes Draco's face heat and Draco hates it. Hates it so fucking much that it drives him to do stupid, reckless things. At least it used to.

Now, he's smarter.

He has to be.

And, anyway, he's got a boyfriend. It doesn't matter if Potter is theoretically interested in men. Draco's taken and Potter probably wouldn't touch him with gloves on anyway and really, Draco just needs to let this stupid, stupid crush of his go. Immediately. He has to work with Potter now. If anyone finds out, Draco thinks he might have to leave the country.

Not that he actually could.

Standing in front of Derek's flat, his heart starts pounding. Draco wills it quiet. Traiterous thing.

„Seems to have been fun,“ Derek says as Draco steps through the door. He smiles at the taller man, pretending not to understand the subtext of that statement.

„It was alright,“ Draco says, taking off his scarf and then getting rid of his boots. Derek is leaning in the doorframe to the kitchen, muscular arms crossed, dark hair slightly tousled.

„How was your day?“

He hates how lately, everything he says to Derek feels like taken out of the script for a bad soap.

Derek shrugs and cracks a can of beer open, watching Draco. The Slytherin's skin is crawling.

„The usual. I've just come home.“

Draco turns away to put his coat on the hanger, hiding his bitter expression. He knows what Derek usually gets up to when he comes home late. Draco just chooses to ignore it.

When Draco turns around again, Derek has crowded up to him and Draco is pushed back against the wall, kissed fiercely.

„You know I don't like you going out with guys I don't know,“ Derek says in that dangerously low tone he always uses in situations like this.

Draco swallows.

„It was just a work-thing, Derek. There is no reason for you to be jealous.“

„I'm not sure I believe you.“

No, of course not. Derek never believes Draco.

As his boyfriend is making quick work of Draco's fly, the blond says: „I have to be in early tomorrow. Perhaps I should go to bed...“

„Don't worry, I'll be quick.“

When Draco sneaks out of bed the next morning, he feels like he hasn't slept at all. Which isn't the case. He did get about four hours of sleep, even though they might have been rather restless and diluted by strange dreams.

His whole body is aching somehow as he takes a quick shower.

Derek's place is nice. Draco likes the large bathroom that leaves plenty of room for all his products. But he can't really enjoy his showers anymore since Derek threw a fit about how he hates it that Draco always locks the bathroom door.

Draco has honestly never thought about it – he always locks the bathroom door, whereever he is. It's just a habit and has nothing to do with Derek (but maybe a little with living under the same roof as a hoard of Death Eaters for more than a year).

But now that Draco can't lock the door anymore, he rushes through every shower, eyes darting to the door anxiously. He knows that he's being paranoid and that it shouldn't be a big deal, yet somehow, it is.

The prospect of having to go back to Archer's team today doesn't really make things any better.

Draco dries his hair with a charm (it's faster this way) and tries to be positive. He knows that working with the Aurors means that he's finally getting somewhere with his career. It's all his pride, working as an Unspeakable. They didn't want to have him at first, but he got lucky – Granger threw in the weight of her higher rank and the fact that she's close friends with The Boy Who Lived Twice and Draco got his chance to convince all those old, wrinkly pricks that he's good at what he does.

For once in his life, he didn't fuck it up and now, most respect him, even though they might not like him much.

He can't let Potter destroy this. It's everything he has, so he needs to make this uncomfortable arrangement work.

Draco manages to get dressed before Derek stirs and is out of the flat with a rustle of his coat, his boots making close to no sound on the floor.

Of course, since bad luck is drawn to Draco like moths to the light, the only one already at the office when Draco arrives is Potter.

He's leaning on the edge of his desk, all rumpled clothes and thick, black hair and shining green eyes and there is a deep ache in Draco's chest at the sight of him.

Potter looks up as soon as Draco enters the room.

„Morning.“

„Good morning.“

Draco looks at the floor, until something is pushed into his line of sight. He looks up.

Potter is holding out a cup of coffee for him.

„For me?“

Potter smiles wryly.

„Yeah. You look like you might need it.“

Draco hesitates, then takes the coffee from Potter. It warms his cold fingers.

Potter sips on his own cup, studying Draco.

„Look, I know this is weird,“ he begins and anxiety is flaring up inside Draco.

„But I just want you to know that I don't... hold grudges or whatever. I'm here to do my job and do it well and so are you, I guess. So you don't need to be worried I'd try to make life hard here for you.“

Draco blinks and looks at Potter. The Gryffindor has grown just the slightest bit taller than Draco. He's certainly heavier, but then again, most people are. Draco knows that he's way too thin.

„Why are you telling me that?“

Potter rubs his neck, shifting his weight.

„Don't know. You just seemed, like, super uncomfortable to be here. With me. And I just wanted to make clear that we don't have to like each other to work together like adults.“

Draco raises one eyebrow, the faintest smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

„Harry Potter talking about acting like adults. It does have an odd ring to it, doesn't it?“

To Draco's surprise, Potter just grins. It's a painful sight.

„I'm trying, okay?“

Draco is smiling now and they stare at each other for a moment, both aware that this is a first. He lowers his gaze before Potter can say something stupid.

„Alright, Potter.“

Luckily, the others are coming in soon enough, Samantha being the first one. Draco can't help but stare at her fabulous snake skin-boots and the long plait of jet black hair falling to her waist, adorned with a few strategically very well placed jewels.

She grins at Potter as she takes the seat next to him, throwing her plait over her shoulder.

„You're on time,“ Potter says, sounding impressed.

„Of course I am.“ Samantha takes Potter's cup and lifts it to her lips, leaving pink lipstick stains on the white china.

Draco looks away, feeling like he's watched something oddly intimate. He wonders whether Samantha has slept with Potter. Whether he wants to.

It wouldn't be surprising – Draco might be as bent as they come, but he does have eyes. Samantha Parker is gorgeous. And if Potter is bi, why wouldn't he want to get into her perfectly tailored and admirably stylish pants?

Draco doesn't care. He doesn't.

„Draco Malfoy in the flesh.“

Blaise is dropping down into the chair next to Draco's, watching him out of his dark eyes.

„Good morning to you too,“ Draco says, raising one of his eyebrows.

„It's surely strange to see you two days in a row. I've gotten used to my best friend not having the time to see me more than once a month."

Draco swallows. He knows that Blaise has a point. And he wishes he could explain to him that it's not easy making time, that it's not like Draco doesn't want to see him – it's just that he's so busy proving himself to the Unspeakables and spending time with Derek.

Also, Derek doesn't like Draco meeting Blaise. Draco has told him multiple times that Blaise is straight and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't be interested in Draco – they're like brothers. Derek didn't care and once, Draco let it slip that Derek seemed to have no problem hanging out with gay men who were clearly interested in him.

That didn't go so well for Draco.

„You alright?“

Draco blinks, focusing on Blaise.

„Yes, just a little tired.“

Terry comes into the office only moments later, a book pinched under his arm and his brown, slightly reddish curls tousled.

When he sits down and nods at Draco, greeting him, Draco notices the Ravenclaw is wearing a hint of eyeliner. He can't help but admire him for his courage – Draco would never dare to wear makeup in public. Actually, he never really dares to wear makeup anywhere.

Archer storms into the office, in his usual no-wasting-time kind of fashion and tells them that they have a subject. An addict, apparently.

„We've been trying to get him to tell us who he's buying from, but he won't say a word. Which means that his dealer must be someone important, otherwise he hadn't intimidated his customers so much that they don't rat him out to save their own asses.“

Archer looks up from his file.

„Potter, Malfoy, I want you to interrogate him.“


	2. Chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Past implied rape/dubious consent

Harry looks at Malfoy when Archer gives them the thrilling news. The Slytherin looks like he'd have just stepped in shit and annoyance is flaring in Harry's chest.

It's not like he'd be thrilled to work with the blond prick either, but at least he's trying. Malfoy seems to think he's above that.

Sam gives him a sympathetic look when Harry leaves the office with Malfoy walking behind him, a silent, pale shadow.

„His name is Adrian Rogers,“ Harry tells Malfoy, turning his head to look at him. Once again, Malfoy is hiding his face behind his hair and that irks Harry so much, he just wants to push it back. „He was arrested in a club in Knockturn Alley. _The Silversnake_. Do you know that one?“

Malfoy peers at the files and Harry gives them to him.

„Yes. It's... not a nice place.“

Harry is watching the slight frown on Malfoy's forehead.

„In what way?“

„It's just very shady. Whether you're looking to buy substances or sex, it's the place I'd advise you to visit.“

Harry wants to ask Malfoy if he's been there often, but he bites this tongue. It might come off rude and even though Malfoy doesn't seem to have a problem with being rude to Harry, Harry doesn't want to end up setting things on fire again. Or making glasses explode.

„How long will they hold him in custody?“ Malfoy asks as they're approaching the holding cells.

„Not longer than forty-eight hours.“

Malfoy looks up at him and Harry realizes how long his lashes are. They're so pale, Harry normally doesn't notice them.

„What is the punishment for substance abuse?“

„Normally, just a fine. Depending on the substance.“

Malfoy nods, internally filing the information. Something inside of Harry softens.

„We're here to see Adrian Rogers,“ Harry says, flashing his Auror badge at the guard. It's unnecessary – three years after the war, everyone still knows Harry's face and what he's up to.

„Both of you?“ the guard asks, eyeing Malfoy. He straightens his spine, but Harry doesn't miss the slight tremble in Malfoy's fingers.

„Yes. Malfoy is working on my team,“ Harry says.

The guard leads them to a cell in the middle and unlocks the door.

„He's feeling the low, so don't be surprised if he's being a little shit,“ the guard tells them before leaving.

Adrian Rogers turns out to be exactly what most people picture when thinking of a junkie.

He's thin, almost emaciated and his clothes aren't nearly warm enough for the wheather. His face is almost gaunt and dangerously close to losing its innately soft features. His eyes, rimmed with black, are brown and haunted.

„I'm Auror Potter and this is Unspeakable Malfoy. We're here to ask you a few questions.“

Even though Harry uses his best authority-voice (which usually works quite well), Rogers is not impressed.

„You can suck my dick, Auror Potter.“

That statement sets the tone for the rest of the interview. No matter how Harry phrases it or whether he's playing good or bad, he doesn't get one snippet of information out of the guy.

„You do know, if you're withholding information that might lead us to the head of this underground trafficking, you could face worse than just a fine,“ Harry says after fifteen fruitless minutes of interrogation. He can feel his blood heating and knows he has to be careful.

Rogers just smirks at him, his eyes raking over Harry's body in a way that makes him uncomfortable.

„I wouldn't mind being punished by you.“

Harry's eyes narrow and he doesn't know how to respond to that.

„But I'm sure you'd like some Ministry favors even better, wouldn't you?“ Malfoy says, looking at Rogers out of pale eyes.

Rogers rolls his eyes.

„The Ministry doesn't do people like me any favors.“

Malfoy tilts his head very slightly, looking completely neutral.

„It would, if you'd help us find our man.“

Rogers glares at him, but Harry can feel that Malfoy just made more progress than Harry had during the first fifteen minutes.

Malfoy lowers his voice just a fraction.

„Everything you tell us would be handled very discreetly. No one would have to know that you're the one we got it from.“

Rogers bites his lip and Harry notices his teeth are pretty bad.

For a moment, Harry thinks they got him. But then, Rogers face closes off again.

„Go arrest some other junkie. Hell knows there are enough of us out there.“

„You've been really great back there,“ Harry tells Malfoy as they head back to the office. Malfoy blinks at him, then shrugs.

„Not good enough to really get us anywhere.“

„But almost.“

Malfoy casts his eyes down. He seems thoughtful.

„What are you thinking about?“

„Nothing, really.“

But Harry can tell it's not nothing. He might not be the best interrogator, but he isn't blind. And he has gone through Auror training afterall.

„Malfoy, you can't be lying to me if it's about the case. I know you're a Slytherin and hate me, but if you're not open about the investigation or anything to do with it, I'm going to give you hell for it.“

Malfoy looks at him. It's hard to decipher his expression. Something weird between defiance, worry and defeat.

„He seemed familiar. Rogers. I can't help but feel like I've seen him before.“

Harry frowns.

„Do you remember where?“

Malfoy slowly shakes his head.

„No, and it drives me crazy.“

He touches his brow, then lets his hand fall again.

„But I doubt it's important. Maybe I'm confusing him with someone else. Or even if I have seen him before, it might just have been at a club or something. It doesn't mean anything.“

„It might,“ Harry says. „If you remember, tell me.“

Malfoy rolls his eyes.

„I'll make sure I will, Potter.“

„Harry? Malfoy? Do you have a minute?“

Sam is all over them the second they step back into the office.

„I'm all ears,“ Harry says.

„So, this might not be anything, but did you know that it's not just prostitutes who frequently use those Ipos?“ Sam begins, circling a pen in her hand.

„It has also become pretty popular amongst Quidditch players,“ Terry says, a spark in his eyes.

Malfoy frowns.

„That makes sense. Afterall, it is a doping method.“

„Exactly,“ Zabini says. „And looking at those records,“ he flaps his hand in the general direction of a huge pile of files, „it suggests that Quidditch might even has been where those Ipos have been first invented.“

„Both types? The Daydream ones as well?“ Harry asks.

Zabini hesitates.

„We're not sure. We've only found something about the Type A ones.“

He looks over at Sam.

„We think that Kenny Hooch might have given the order to invent the Type A.“

Everyone looks at Harry.

„Kenny Hooch is Ginny's coach,“ he says.

„I know.“ Sam looks at him a little warily.

„Why do you think he's got anything to do with it?“

„Because the timeline matches. The time he first got successful with his team has also been the time when the first cases of Ipo abuse dropped in here.“

Harry rolls his eyes.

„That proves nothing. It's most likely just a coincidence.“

„Three players have been accused of abuse so far,“ Zabini says. „But none of them got benched or even kicked out, because no one could prove they really did take the potions. Even though everyone was sure they did.“

„And you think that is because their trainer is pulling the strings and knows all about it?“ Harry hears the scepticism in his own voice.

„It would makes sense,“ Terry says.

„Of course, this is not enough to really build a case,“ the Ravenclaw goes on. „We have nothing that comes even close to prove and, you're right, there are definitely other leads to follow. But I really think we should investigate this one.“

Harry rubs his temple. Somehow, this doesn't feel right.

„It doesn't mean Ginny is involved it this, even if it was true,“ Sam says, squeezing Harry's arm. Harry shakes his head.

„This doesn't have anything to do with Ginny.“

„Then why do you think we're wrong?“ Sam asks.

„I'm not saying you're wrong, I just... I mean, we're looking for the person who started this, right? The cradle of those Ipos, if you will. And I just don't think it's Quidditch.“

Malfoy rolls his eyes.

„Because Quidditch is holy, I forgot.“

Harry narrows his eyes at him.

„You like Quidditch too.“

„Not so much I'd disregard evidence pointing to it as the source of illicit potions,“ Malfoy snaps.

„What evidence are you're talking about? And this is not about whether I want to drag a coach through the mud or not.“

„Oh, so it's more about whether you want to drag your ex through the mud, isn't it?“

Everyone is dead silent, Malfoy and Harry staring at each other. Harry doesn't notice that his empty coffee cup is shaking until Sam grabs it and holds it still.

„Our work isn't about dragging anyone through the mud,“ Terry says, calmly. „It's about finding out the truth.“

„And to do that, we have to follow all promising leads. That doesn't mean we'll tarnish anyone's name until we have real prove,“ Sam adds, looking between Malfoy and Harry.

Harry forces himself to relax, let go of that tight ball of tension inside his chest.

„You're right.“

Zabini is staring at Malfoy with a strange expression. It's almost like he'd be surprised at Malfoy's outburst.

Which is laughable. Or had he forgotten the countless fights Malfoy started with Harry during their school days?

„So, what did you find?“ Zabini asks, looking at Harry.

Without looking at each other once, Malfoy and Harry tell the rest of the team about the _Silversnake_ and Adrian Rogers.

„Do you think maybe I could make him talk?“ Sam asks. „You know, using some... female weapons.“

There are astonishingly many men who like, even behind bars, to brag a little in front of a pretty woman, often letting something important slip between disgusting flirting and making themselves feel smarter and stronger than the attractive female interrogating them.

Harry shakes this head.

„No. He's not wired that way.“

Malfoy smirks wryly.

„Potter would have better chances with that, I suppose. Rogers did already express some interest.“

Sam and Zabini laugh and Terry grins.

Harry feels his face heat.

„I very much doubt he's been serious.“

„You could always try it out,“ Sam says, winking at him.

„I think I'll pass.“

Harry is pretty sure that Adrian Rogers is not his type. And also, Harry isn't a huge fan of casual hook ups. He'd had some and every single time, he left underwhelmed.

The laughter dies out and Sam's face grows serious again.

„I know you probably won't like this, but I think it might be a good idea if you talked to Ginny. Off the record, I mean. She might give you some useful insides.“

Harry flinches.

„Ginny and I don't really talk like that anymore. I'm sorry, Sam.“

„But couldn't you talk to Ron instead?“ Terry asks, tilting his head.

Zabini throws him an approving look.

Harry feels stupid. Is he an Auror or isn't he, now?

„Yeah, I... suppose I could do that. I will. Thanks, Terry.“

The Ravenclaw just smiles at him.

„Perfect.“

They end the day with sorting their files and trying to get some structure into their (very sparse) leads.

Harry notices how heavily Sam is focusing on the Quidditch lead and sighs. He really isn't sure if his gut feeling is being biased in this.

Because, even though he'd never admit it out loud, Malfoy does have a point: Harry doesn't want to believe any Quidditch team would do that, play dirty like this. It's not something that usually happens in wizarding sports and Harry would like it to stay that way.

And, of course, he also really doesn't want to be the one that ruins Ginny's blooming career.

„I'm going for a pint. Harry, you'll join me,“ Sam says and Harry looks at her wryly.

„I got the feeling this is not up for discussion?“

„Nope.“

Sam smiles, showing her straight teeth.

„Alright. But Ron and Hermoine will be there too. I've made plans with them last week already.“

„That's fine with me. The more the merrier. You all are welcome as well, obviously,“ Sam says and Harry silently thinks that this is everything but obvious.

„I can't tonight,“ Zabini says. „But you two should go. Someone has to keep Samantha from embarrassing herself after two drinks. Potter obviously isn't a good choice for that.“

Sam flips him a finger, but doesn't seem too bothered.

„I'd be down,“ Terry says. „I just want to get home and eat something first. My roommate promised to make enchiladas tonight.“

„Malfoy?“ Sam asks, looking at the blond.

Malfoy shakes his head, a small motion.

„No, I can't. Thank you for the invitation.“

Harry doens't get how anyone can be so goddamn bloody formal all the time. It makes him want to wrestle Malfoy down and mess up this horrible poised perfection that he's portraying all the time.

„Pity. If you change your mind, we'll be there.“

When Draco rings on Derek's door, he hopes that his boyfriend is in a better mood than Draco himself is. He's been a prick today and he knows it.

He just doesn't understand what it is about Potter that always gets to him, always riles him up. Draco has gotten so good at keeping his mouth shut, and there Potter goes, infuriating him with a flick of his wrist and making him spit mean words that only show his own weakness and horrible, stupid, hopeless jealousy.

Sometimes Draco really can't believe he survived Voldemort, as stupid as he keeps acting.

Draco shifts his weight, crossing his arms. It's freezing and his stomach is a hole in his belly. He can't remember the last time he's eaten.

He checks his phone again and just in that moment, a text pops up.

_Sorry, can't make it tonight. Something came up. See you tomorrow._

Draco stares at Derek's message, anger and relief fighting for dominance in his chest. If _he_ would have Derek stood up like this, all hell would break lose, Draco knows that. He'd spend at least thirty minutes in front of the mirror, glamouring his bruises while wiping away the stupid tears he keeps spilling when no one is looking.

But in the end, it's fine with Draco not to see Derek tonight. He has learned by now that his boyfriend isn't really a realiable source for comfort after a hard day.

Those times are over.

Undecidedly, he stands on the doorstep, not knowing what to do with himself.

His cold, empty flat doesn't seem appealing at all. It's in the worst part of London, because no one wants to rent anything to a Malfoy. But it's still better than living at the Manor with his mother.

For a moment, he considers ringing up Pansy, but then he remembers she's eating with her family tonight.

Draco bites his lip.

He could join his coworkers at Felix's. Afterall, Samantha had asked him twice.

But hanging out with Potter and the Weasel plus girlfriend? Not his idea of a relaxed evening.

Even though Granger is not half-bad. She's the reason he's an Unspeakable now, afterall. Well, Unspeakable in training. They can still kick him out whenever they feel like it.

Draco should just go home. Curl up in his bed and get some much needed sleep. Maybe read a little – he hasn't done that in way too long.

And yet he finds himself in front of the bar, trying to convince his brain that it's just because he can't stand the darkness, can't stand to be alone when he can hear those rough voices on the streets that take him back to another time, doesn't want to face his failure watching the mould on his walls.

But Draco knows better. He's here because Potter is, because Draco has always been so weak for him, stupid for him, not able to resist any chance to get closer.

Still, when he enters and sees the Chosen One at the table, laughing with Granger and the Weasel, he almost turns around again.

He would have, if Samantha hadn't spotted him and waved excitedly.

 _Crap_ , he thinks and makes his way through the other tables. What choice does he have?

Potter is watching him taking a seat next to Samantha, who's sitting beside Potter.

Weasel and Granger are holding hands and eye him, Weasel definitely suspicious.

„You made it,“ Terry says, smiling at Draco. He should have been in Hufflepuff, Draco thinks. He's always being so sickeningly nice.

„Yes, I... change of plans.“

„Nice to see you again, Draco. I'm almost missing you in my office,“ Granger says with a smile and, really, Draco knows he should start calling her Hermione.

„Yeah, we have him now,“ Sam says and to Draco's utter terror, she wraps her arms around him and squeezes once.

Granger – Hermione – laughs at Draco's expression and even Potter seems to be amused.

Terry grins. „She always gets like that when she's tipsy.“

„I'm pretty sure she's lying to us. There's no way she's been sorted into Slytherin,“ Potter says and Samantha glares at him – or tries to. She still looks more like a puppy.

„Seems like a Hufflepuff to me,“ Draco says and Samantha nudges him playfully. Potter is looking down, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. Draco's heart clenches. He feels bad for the things he said today.

Which is creeping him out. He's said so much worse to Potter over the years and he never really had the urge to apologize. He'd always been so mad at the perfect Savior.

But he's not that boy anymore, is he?

The conversation around him picks up again. It's mostly the Golden Trio talking. Samantha is leaning against Harry, typing on her phone and Draco tries his very best not to be jealous. It's dumb and pathetic and he doesn't want to be that.

He only feels like he is all the damn time.

Terry has a sketchbook on his lap and after a while, he notices Draco glancing at it. Draco feels his cheeks heat.

„Sorry,“ he says, but Terry just smiles.

„If you want to, you can flip through it. It's nothing impressive, really.“

It is, if you ask Draco. There was a time he'd been drawing himself, before he'd grown bored of it. Terry's style is unique and Draco is mesmerized by some of his portraits.

„Guys, I gotta leave now,“ Samantha says after a while and Terry offers to get her home.

At once, Draco's unease is welling up again.

„I should probably go as well,“ he says.

„Oh, you don't have to,“ Hermione says and Draco still doesn't understand why she's always being so nice to him. He's been so awful to her at school that and even though he did apologize, he can't really believe she's forgiven him.

So Draco stays, sipping his Firewhiskey and letting the others talk about people he doesn't know and old stories he hasn't been part of.

He's starting to drift off, body pleasently numb with alcohol, when he notices that Weasel (who hasn't spoken one word to Draco) and Hermione are starting to get really caught up in each other.

„They're always like this,“ Potter says, startling Draco. There is an empty chair between them and still, he feels awfully close.

„Oh.“

Draco doesn't know what to say to that. And he's also realizing that he's not only tipsy, but drunk. Never drink on an empty stomach.

„You get used to it. Mostly.“

Draco isn't sure, but he thinks Potter isn't always that happy with his best friends dating each other.

„It must get tiring sometimes,“ Draco says, leaning forward.

Potter smiles wryly.

„I love them. If they're happy, I am.“

Right. Because Potter is a good person and not a selfish asshole like Draco is.

„But sometimes, they really make me want to puke my guts out.“

Draco's eyes flick to Potter and there is warm amusement in his emerald eyes and something is starting to unravel in Draco's chest.

„I'm sorry for today. I didn't mean to say all that to you. It was stupid. And mean.“

Potter's eyebrows lift.

„How drunk are you?“

Draco lowers his gaze.

„Not that drunk.“

That's a lie and he's pretty sure Potter can tell.

The Gryffindor laughs.

„Who would have guessed you're such a lightweight?“ he teases.

„I'm _not_!“

„One drink and you're apologizing to me? You're the most leightweight of all people I know.“

Draco tries to glare at him, but it's hard when you're feeling so relaxed.

He doesn't really know how it happened, but they've scooted closer together and now, Potter's knee is touching Draco's. He's sure Potter doesn't notice, but for Draco – he feels the touch to the core of his bones.

„One should eat before drinking,“ Draco says. „Normally, I'm really not that drunk this quickly.“

Potter frowns.

„I haven't seen you eat all day.“

Draco shrugs.

„Sometimes I forget.“

Potter shakes his head as if the idea would be absolutely ludicrous.

„How can you forget to eat? I'd never.“

Draco smiles at that, the unraveling progressing. There is this lightness behind his sternum that has him addicted in no time.

„Maybe we should get you home. So you can eat something and won't feel like death when you come in tomorrow.“

Draco pouts.

„I don't want to go home yet.“

Potter cocks his head and Draco can't read his expression – only because he's so intoxicated.

„As much as I enjoy seeing Draco Malfoy, king of composure, drunk like this, I really think you should get some sleep. And eat something. You look horrible.“

Draco swallows, the lightness in his chest transforming into a dark, thick cloud.

„Well, thanks.“

„You know I didn't mean it like that,“ Potter says and Draco looks at him, at the blush that is rising in his cheeks, those beautifully awful glasses and wonders what Potter means saying he didn't mean it like that.

„Come on. I'll apparate you home.“

That snaps Draco out of his daze, making him fight the drunkness.

„No. I can go alone.“

That gets Hermiones's attention.

She looks between Potter and Draco and Draco can feel red blotches form on his neck. He bloody hates his pale skin.

„Everything alright?“

„Yeah, Malfoy just had a little too much. I'll get him home.“

And then, Potter takes Draco's arm and leads him out of the bar. Draco's brain short-circuts and only on the cold street, he regains his composure.

„Really, Potter. I can go alone.“

Potter's brows are drawing together.

„You're way too drunk to apparate.“

Draco knows he's right, but he'll gladly take the bus before he lets Potter see where he lives.

„I'll just walk. Sober up a little.“

Potter still doesn't seem convinced and Draco wonders why he even cares. But that's probably just a Harry-Potter thing. He can't help but want to save people. He never could.

„Come off it, Potter. Go back to your friends.“

Potter's eyes are unsettling.

„Okay. If you're sure.“

„I'm sure,“ Draco says, feeling unsure.

„Then I'll see you at work.“

When Malfoy walks into the office the next day, he might not be the perfect epitome of well-rested, but he looks better than he did yesterday.

Harry catches his eye and grins as a furious blush is creeping up Malfoy's neck.

„What have I missed?“ Sam asks Harry with big eyes and punches his arm to make him turn to her.

„Not much,“ Harry says even though it feels like that's not true. Draco fucking Malfoy apologized to him yesterday. That bears repeating.

And that's not all, if Harry is honest.

He's watching Malfoy from across the room.

His long, elgant fingers are sorting through a stack of files that are more organized than Harry's will ever be. The blush on Malfoy's neck is only slowly fading, taking on the pristine ivory of his smooth skin. Harry's eyes follow the graceful curve of Malfoy's throat to the sharpness of his jawline, his slightly parted, thin lips. Malfoy's nose is near to perfect, Harry thinks. His light, almost invisible lashes are shadowing his unusual bright eyes.

With a shock that is shaking him to the core, a realization hits Harry.

Draco Malfoy is attractive.

Gorgeous, even.

Harry can't believe he has never noticed before – or maybe he can't believe that he notices it now. Even though Harry, like anyone, appreciates beauty, it's usually not really what makes a person attractive to him.

He did like Ginny's firey hair, her strong legs and plush mouth a lot, but it really was her fierceness, ambition and big heart that got to him. Even with the short fling he's had with a guy named Simon, it wasn't his looks that got Harry hooked, it was his passion about Charms, his wit and nerve.

Which is why Harry shouldn't find Malfoy attractive.

And yet, he does. Merlin, he so does.

„Are you okay?“ Sam asks, eyeing him sideways.

Harry shakes his head a little to get rid of those disturbing thoughts.

„Yeah, I'm fine.“

During all the time Harry is interrogating yet another arrested addict, sorting through dull reports and consulting with the office of Magical Law to get a warrant for the Silversnake, he can't stop thinking about Malfoy.

He's never seen him like he was yesterday. So open. And apologetic.

It's probably just been in Harry's head, but he had felt like Malfoy would have leant toward him, like he'd actually wanted to be there, maybe even wanted to be close.

Which is ridiculous, because Malfoy hates Harry.

Or does he?

„Have you talked to Ron yet?“ Terry asks, stopping by Harry's desk.

„Oh, yeah. I talked to him yesterday and he says he'll try, but doubts Ginny will know anything.“

„Of course he's saying that,“ Sam comments, not looking up from the paper she's working on.

„Potter?“

Harry looks up, almost snapping his neck with the sharp movement.

Malfoy stands in front of his desk, holding a thin folder.

„I have the warrant for the Silversnake. We can go search it tomorrow.“

When Harry gets back to Grimmauld Place in the evening, he pretends he's not nervous. Or unsettled.

Basically, he pretends that Draco Malfoy has not gotten into his head and made himself comfortable there. It's good that they get along a little better than they used to, Harry thinks as he's shedding his clothes and changes into sweatpants and a faded tee.

It's not good to start thinking of Malfoy as a possible shag. He's not. For starters, Harry doesn't want to fall into bed with someone who used to call Hermione mudblood and pranced around Hogwarts as if he'd own the bloody place. Plus, Harry knows himself – he's so bad with casual. It never works for him.

And, not to forget, Malfoy has a boyfriend. Harry doesn't want to be someone who's getting between a couple.

Really, he must just be horny. There is no other explaination for his thoughts running wild like this, turning into this very unfortunate direction.

Harry sighs and rubs his face, opens a bottle of water and chugs half of it.

The flames of the fireplace turn green and Ron stumbles into Harry's living room.

„I've talked to Ginny,“ Ron says after they've greeted each other and Harry has gotten them both a beer.

„She said that she doesn't know whether the press was right or not about the doping.“

Harry's heart sinks.

„Which means she thinks it's true. Maybe she even knows it.“

Ron cracks his knuckles.

„I don't think she knows for sure. If she did, she'd say so.“

„But she is at least suspicious. Otherwise, she'd have said no straight away.“

Ginny was no one who would let people talk shit about her team if it wasn't true. And the fact that she had been so reluctant means, Harry is sure about that, she believes the accusations are right.

Maybe Harry has been wrong. Maybe Quidditch is the answer afterall.

On the other hand, what does it prove that those players have taken Ipos? They could have acted on their own, not on demand of their coach.

He'll have to talk to his team about it tomorrow, Harry thinks.

„Are you staying for dinner?“ Harry asks Ron, kind of hoping he'll say yes. Harry doesn't have a problem with eating alone, usually, but lately, Ron and Hermoine have been even more snuggled up than normally and Harry'd like to know that his best mates still want to spend time with him as well.

„Hermione and I are going out,“ Ron says and Harry just nods.

„Have fun then.“

Ron seems to feel guilty.

„You could tag along if you want.“

Harry rolls his eyes.

„Definitely not. You two have a good time.“

He thinks he's being pretty convincing.

And it's not like he wouldn't be happy for his friends. He really is. It just makes him feel a little lonely at times.

„Sorry I'm late,“ Malfoy says, looking a little rumpled – at least for Malfoy-standards.

Harry eyes him.

„It's okay.“

Sam and Zabini are off tracking down Hooch and Terry was nice enough to do the dirty work for them, staying in the office.

„You good to go?“ Harry asks, wondering what made Malfoy late. And had him forget to style his hair.

Harry finds he quite likes it like this, a little more messy. Then he wonders if this is what Malfoy looks like freshly fucked and the surge of jealousy washing over him takes his breath away.

He really needs to get a grip before this gets out of hand.

The _Silversnake_ isn't opened yet and Gibbs, the owner, doesn't seem all too pleased about the Aurors' visit.

He's an elderly man with a bald head and round belly. Harry dislikes him instantly.

„If any of my guests have dirt on their sticks, that's not on me,“ he says as he opens the door for Harry and Malfoy.

Malfoy had been right – the club isn't very pretty. It stinks like piss and sweat and sex and Harry doesn't even want to know what kind of things the people here get up to at night.

Harry doesn't miss that Malfoy tenses as they enter the building, wands raised.

„You okay?“ he asks, watching the Slytherin sideways.

Malfoy just nods and they start their search.

After an hour of combing through every room of the run-down club, they haven't found anything more scandalous than a dildo Harry wouldn't even touch with magic gloves and multiple used condoms.

„Is this a brothel as well?“ Harry asks, nose wrinkled. There are some rooms in here that remind him very much of a sex club.

„Not officially,“ Malfoy says as he opens the door to yet another small room.

He stills.

„Did you find something?“ Harry asks.

Malfoy hesitates, then shakes his head, but Harry can see his brain working and the corners of his mouth turn downwards, almost as if in disgust.

„Malfoy,“ Harry says, glaring at him. He steps next to Malfoy, looking into the room. Nothing's there except a sofa with holes in the covers and stains on the faded red.

Harry looks back at Malfoy, the blond's expression blank now.

„Stop this. You were clearly noticing something when you walked in here. Or remembering something.“

Malfoy doesn't say anything, won't look at Harry and it infuriates the Gryffindor more than anything else.

He steps closer to Malfoy, into his personal space, fuming. He stops dead as he sees Malfoy's shoulders draw up, his head turning away.

Malfoy thinks Harry will hit him.

That sobers Harry up immediately and he takes a step back. Apparently, his anger-control issues are more obvious than he would've thought they are

 _I'd never hit you_ , Harry wants to tell him. He has never hurt anyone.

Just makes glasses shatter and sets paper on fire. Which is totally safe, for sure.

„I'm sorry,“ Harry says. „I didn't mean to... scare you.“

Malfoy looks at him, clearly annoyed with himself and probably Harry too.

„It hasn't anything to do with the case.“

Harry bites his lip. Nods.

„Okay.“

„And... that feeling that I know Rogers doesn't either. Sorry.“

Harry is dying to know how Malfoy knows this junkie, why he froze when walking into this room, but he knows that asking wouldn't do any good. Malfoy would never tell him.

„Okay,“ he says again and Malfoy looks away, letting his gaze wander over the room.

„I can't believe there's nothing here,“ the Slytherin says.

„Me too.“

„Even if it's not the cradle, it must certainly be one of the main points of traffick. It's the Silversnake.“

Malfoy is frowning.

„Well, but we already have evidence that dealers frequent this club. We need to know who they are and where they get their shit from.“

Malfoy nods, eyes downcast.

He doesn't want to leave here with nothing and Harry understands him all too well. If they can't find anything here, it will make it seem even more likely that Hooch is the answer. And Harry doesn't want to even think about what Ginny will feel if she finds out her coach is working with Ipos. It would probably be the end of her short career.

„I think we should probably go,“ Harry says. Malfoy hesitates, then nods and they leave the stuffy air of the club behind, stepping into the cold winter sunlight.

Draco is tired.

He is so tired, he just wants to rest his head on the table and sleep in the office. He would, if there were no one around.

But Potter is here, so Draco has to at least seem productive.

It's not easy, seeming productive when he can't shake last night, as much as he wants to.

Derek came home late, reeking of liquor and in a good mood and Draco just... wasn't. He just wanted to sleep.

When Derek had crowded up to him, Draco had put his foot down and told him no. Told him if Derek wasn't being civil, Draco would leave.

That had made Derek shout at him. Draco was a bore. Spoilsport. Liar and a cheat. Everything bad, really.

„You're lucky I even want to fuck you,“ he said and Draco knows that it'd been mostly the booze talking and yet, deep down, he's sure that Derek really feels that way.

And Draco can't blame him.

He rubs his temples and thinks about how it used to be when they first got together. Derek had been charming. He'd never been sweet, but Draco knows that he's not the guy for sweet.

When they started going out, Derek had never hit Draco. They'd had sex and it was good.

Not that Draco had much to compare it to, but he liked being with Derek. He was strong and confident and everything Draco was not. And he'd cared for him. At least in the beginning.

Then... Draco always wants to say he doesn't know from what point on things went downhill, but if he's honest, he thinks he does.

Draco had come home rather late, exhausted from a day of work. He'd layn on the couch, watching some brain-dead TV show and ready to drift off to the soothing white noise.

Derek had come over and slid next to Draco, kissing his neck. Draco had smiled. Then Derek had started working on his fly and Draco had hummed and said: „I'm not in the mood right now.“

„Oh, come on,“ Derek had answered, his hands not stopping.

Draco had frowned. He repeated his words, a little more firmly. Derek had groaned, exasperated.

„You'll be in the mood soon enough, I promise,“ he'd said and Draco's heart had started to pound, his eyes fixed on the telly, where a man had screamed at another, something about a broken car.

When Derek had pulled Draco's pants down and flipped him around, Draco hadn't said anything. His eyes were still glued to the telly.

„You want it, yeah?“ Derek had asked into his ear, already inside him and Draco had felt the burn, badly, watering eyes still on the telly.

„Yeah,“ he'd said.

Draco bites his lip. It's not good thinking about stuff like that when you're sleep deprived and frustrated.

„Malfoy?“

Draco startles, then looks over at Potter.

„There isn't really anything to do until the others get back,“ the Gryffindor starts, pushing up his glasses. Draco eyes him.

„Where's Terry?“ he asks.

„Lunch break. Which is what I thought we should do as well,“ Potter says.

Draco blinks.

„Um, it's fine. Go ahead.“

Potter shifts on his chair.

„I was thinking, both of us. Together.“

Draco just stares at him, absolutely sure that he's misheard.

„Oh, stop looking at me like that. It's not weird. We're coworkers. It would be weird to have break at the same time and _not_ eat together.“

Honestly, Draco is very sure that wouldn't be nearly as weird as eating with Potter.

„I...“ He doesn't know what to say.

„Okay, let's go,“ Potter says, getting up.

After a moment, Draco follows his example.

„Do you like Japanese? You seem like someone who likes Japanese,“ Potter says as Draco follows him out of the office.

„I might.“

Potter smiles at him, over his shoulder, and it catches Draco completely off guard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter three

The small place Potter picks out is rather crowded, but still cozy.

„It's probably not as posh as the places you like to go to, but the food's good,“ Potter says, seeming just a tad self-concious.

Draco can only smile sadly at that. If Potter knew how damn over the times are when Draco would go to fancy dinners and expensive restaurants.

„This is nice,“ he just says and Potter smiles again. Draco's heart is flipping in his chest.

They get a table that's squeezed in one corner and when Potter takes his coat off, Draco tries not to stare at his shoulders, his chest. He has never seen Potter shirtless before, come to think about it.

He imagines him to be gorgeous, but Pansy would say Draco's not at all being objective. She'd be right.

„So, what made you run late today?“ Potter asks conversationally after they have ordered ramen. Draco's stomach has rumbled in anticipation of some actual food.

The question almost spoils his appetite.

He'd basically fled Derek's flat after his boyfriend had been insufferable last night. Draco had slept on the couch, always afraid Derek might stop sulking and come downstairs. He's lucky that Derek apparently hadn't been in the mood to try anything, just shoved him hard enough that Draco fell on his butt and then Derek had stomped up the stairs, calling Draco a fucking cunt under his breath.

It had taken a while until Draco's heartrate had normalized.

He plays with the napkin, then says: „I slept in.“

„You look like you could use it.“

Draco looks up.

„It really is charming how you always comment on my appearance this nicely, Potter.“

Potter rolls his eyes.

„I wouldn't, if you wouldn't always show up with shadows under your eyes the size of Europe.“

Draco tries to glare at him.

„Thank you very much, I'll glamour them from now on.“

Their drinks arrive and Draco takes a sip. The lemonade is sweet and lemony and it reminds him of his childhood.

„Do you think Hooch is our man?“ Potter asks, looking at Draco with a thoughtful expression.

Draco takes his time with an answer.

„I'm not sure. I think it would make sense if those Ipos would have been invented as a doping method.“

Potter nods, clearly not liking the thought very much.

„Yet, I just... it feels wrong,“ Draco admits, wondering if Potter will find that stupid.

But he just nods again, folding and unfolding his own napkin.

„Yeah, me too. But then again, you were right when you said I don't want it to be Quidditch.“

The Gryffindor shrugs and takes another sip from his lemonade. It's already almost empty.

„Do you still play?“ Draco asks, suddenly curious.

Potter shakes his head, looking whistful.

„Not really. Just sometimes for fun when I'm at the Burrow, but it's nothing like Hogwarts. When I was still with Ginny, we sometimes played together, but since we broke up... I don't really fly anymore.“

Draco's stomach twists at the mention of Ginny.

„What about you?“ Potter asks.

„No. I stopped playing in sixth year and never really picked it up again.“

He doesn't even have a broom anymore.

Potter smiles.

„I always liked playing against you.“

Draco looks up at him, into those dangerous green eyes.

„You did?“

Potter nods.

„It was a challenge. No one else was as good as you. Not even Cho, and she really wasn't a bad seeker.“

Draco smiles, even though the memory of fifth year, when Potter had been so obviously pining after the Chang-girl, still stings.

„I liked playing against you, too,“ he admits. „But I'm a sore loser.“

Potter laughs.

„I know you are.“

Draco can't stop looking at him. It's so strange, the way Potter keeps speaking to him, about him. Saying he'd liked to play against Draco.

Draco always thought Potter hated it, maybe aside from the satisfaction of besting him.

And Potter always had, hadn't he? He'd always been better than Draco at everything and it drove Draco insane.

„Maybe we should play some time. It could be your time to shine. I'm not nearly as good as I used to be, I bet.“

Draco stares at Potter, heart suddenly racing in his chest. He's probably just joking.

„Sure. Would be about time I beat you,“ Draco says lightly, hoping that it's an acceptable answer that won't make a fool of him.

Potter grins.

„I'll call you up on that.“

Their food arrives and for a while, they're eating in silence. It's good to eat a real meal, something warm. Draco's always so cold lately.

„If Samantha and Blaise find anything, do you want to talk to Ginny first?“ Draco asks when they're almost finished with their bowls.

Potter looks up.

„What?“

„I mean... do you want to give her a heads up? You said you're sure she doesn't have anything to do with all of it.“

„She doesn't.“

„Yes. So, I was just wondering if you might want to help her not to... get in the middle of all of this.“

Potter sighs and rubs his face.

„I don't know. I'd like to, but I don't know how. She's part of the team. I don't think I can keep her out of it.“

Draco nods.

Potter narrows his eyes.

„Why are you asking? Do you think I'd hinder the investigation to protect her? Because if you do, you're damn wrong.“

Draco stares back, equally annoyed.

„I just wanted to be prepared. I can't get caught up in any kinds of illegal intrigues right now. My life is on the line.“

Potter grimaces.

„Always so dramatic, Malfoy.“

Draco flinches and turns his head away, the blood thrumming in his ears.

Dramatic. Oversensitive. Weak. Flamboyant. Draco's heard all of that so much, from his father, from Aunt Bella, the Dark Lord himself and now Derek.

No matter how hard Draco is working on appearing to be tough, it never seems to pay off.

Maybe he'll always stay that little boy his father caught wearing his mother's lipstick. Lucius Malfoy's anger was fierce enough to make Draco never touch a tube of lipstick again.

„Unlike you, missteps of mine actually do have consequences. I don't expect you to understand what it's like having to really work for your place in the Ministry.“

Even though Draco is meeting Potter's gaze and his chin is lifted, his voice is embarrassingly hoarse.

Potter looks at him for a moment, then lowers his gaze.

„I understand. You don't have to worry, I won't give Ginny any special treatment.“

They're both silent for a moment, Harry looking at the table, Draco watching the other guests.

„You said the two of you don't really talk anymore?“

Stop. Just stop it, Draco pleads with himself. He just can't let it go. He needs to know. Even though it's ridiculous.

„I mean, we are friendly. But not really friends anymore.“

Potter sounds a little cautious, almost suspicious.

„I think it's not easy to be friends with your ex,“ Draco says, just to say something normal, not looking at Potter. He doesn't want to fight anymore. It's just too draining.

„Yeah, I guess. Are you speaking from experience?“

Draco suppresses a snort.

„Not really.“

Derek is his first boyfriend. At Hogwarts, the opportunity had never really arised, especially with him being closeted and a pureblood. Then sixth year happened and for quite a while, sex became last priority.

When the trials where over and Draco got the job at the Ministry, he was nineteen and went out for the first time.

There had been two disappointing make-out sessions with strangers in dirty loos and then there was Derek.

„But you're with someone now?“

Draco looks up briefly. He doesn't want to talk about Derek, but he just grilled Potter about his love life, so he can't really tell him to piss off, can he?

„Yes. His name is Derek.“

„How did you two meet?“

„At a bar. Nothing... nothing special.“

Draco really doesn't want to talk about Derek.

„What about you? Are you in a relationship?“

Potter shakes his head, not looking at him.

„No, haven't met the right one yet,“ he says casually. It irks Draco how okay Potter seems to be with that.

Draco has always been so afraid of being alone.

„Is Derek?“

Draco blinks.

„Is Derek what?“

Potter tilts his head, green eyes flashing.

„The right one.“

Like a child, Draco gapes at Potter, completely undignified.

No one has ever asked him that. Not really.

„Um...“

What do you answer to such a question?

„I guess.“

Potter lifts his brows.

„You don't sound so convinced.“

Suddenly, Draco is beyond annoyed. This really isn't any of Potter's business. Who does he think he is?

„What do you care, Potter?“

Potter's nose scrunches, he seems taken aback.

„I was just making conversation.“

„Well, this isn't really any of your concern, is it?“

Potter's eyes darken.

„Sorry if I was being rude,“ he says, tone measured and now, Draco feels like a shit.

„I just... I'm private about such matters,“ he tries to explain. Potter was being so nice. Draco doesn't want to fuck it all up again.

„I noticed,“ Potter says, not really warmly, but also not dismissive.

„Yeah, I...“

Draco trails off and swallows, heart beating too fast.

„Look, I'm sorry if I was being nosy. You're right, I'm probably not someone you'd talk to about your relationship,“ Potter says.

„No, it's okay. I was being nosy too.“

„Okay.“

„Yeah.“

They look at each other, shifting awkwardly. Then, for some strange reason, they are starting to laugh.

It's strange and.... really, really nice.

„Okay, Jesus,“ Potter says, shaking his head.

Draco frowns.

„I'm Draco.“

Potter looks at him funnily.

„Um, yeah, I know.“

„You said Jesus.“

Potter stares a little more, then bursts out laughing. He's so loud, other people are turning their heads, looking at them.

„What? What did I say?“ Draco asks, not sure if he should be offended.

Potter is still laughing a little, shaking his head.

If Draco didn't knew better, he'd call the look Potter gives him fond.

„It's just... it's a muggle thing. Like saying Merlin. I'll explain it to you some day. Draco.“

Potter smiles and Draco's heart skips a beat, then starts hammering in his chest. It's painful and he can't stop staring at Potter.

Potter just keeps smiling.

„I'd like that,“ Draco says.

Harry accepts his defeat when Sam and Blaise tell him that they're going to request a warrant to search Hooch's home.

„He wasn't giving us any evidence, but we're both sure that he's hiding something,“ Zabini says, exchanging a look with Sam, who nods.

„Okay. We'll run a background check,“ Harry says.

They're all gathering their things, ready to call it a day. Zabini says: „Terry and I'll be at Felix's now. If you guys want to come...?“

Harry looks at Draco and feels a slight blush rising in his cheeks when the blond is locking eyes with him.

„Sure, I'm in,“ he says and Draco lowers his gaze, then nods. „Me too.“

 _Draco_. It's strange how much Harry likes the name. He has the weird urge to say it all the time, feel it rolling off his tongue. _Draco_.

The owner of the pretty name is standing up, smoothing over his button-down and looking at Zabini.

Harry ends up next to Draco and all the while Sam and Terry are talking, Harry is acutely aware of Draco next to him. Every time the blond shifts, a jolt of energy is surging through Harry's body. There is something so effortlessly graceful about the Slytherin that gets to Harry in a way he can't fathom.

He doesn't understand it. Grace has never been something he found particularly attractive. Ginny isn't graceful at all.

But Draco... there is just something about the way he moves, so carefully, that makes Harry's mouth go dry, makes him unable to look away.

When Harry shifts a little, his leg is touching Draco's and Harry could swear that he sees the Slytherin blushing. It ignites a heat behind Harry's navel that he doesn't want to examine any more closely.

Like everything about him, Draco's legs are long and thin, the knees sharp. Harry's thighs are thicker as Draco's, his legs stronger, less elegant.

Harry wonders if Draco would wrap those legs around his waist if Harry lifted him. If he'd like that.

The thought makes the blood rush into Harry's face and he takes a generous sip from his drink. Sam is watching him curiously.

„Is it true that you've fancied Hermoine?“ Harry asks Zabini, the liquor making him bold in his desperate attempt to distract from his own fixation on the blond boy next to him.

Zabini rolls his eyes.

„Well, I won't deny her intelligence intrigued me. And her impressive cleavage might have helped as well.“

Harry snorts, almost spitting Firewhiskey. Terry laughs and even Malfoy smirks a little. Only Sam doesn't seem amused.

„But I'm over that,“ Zabini says, flapping his hand.

„Oh, I bet you are, considering the amount of beds you sneak out of on a monthly basis,“ Malfoy says, smiling deviously.

Zabini raises his brows, not really offended.

„Are you calling me a slut?“

Draco bites his lip, smiling. Harry can't tear his eyes away.

„Your words, not mine.“

Zabini shrugs, unbothered.

„We can't all be as prude as you are.“

That makes Draco blush.

„Excuse me?“

„How many people did you sleep with? Two?“

„Blaise,“ Draco hisses as everyone is watching the two with rapt attention.

Blaise twists his face, apparently realizing he went too far. Draco's cheeks are still burning.

„Sorry, Drake. But... you know. We've talked about this.“

Harry is _dying_ to know what Blaise means with that. Draco seems to be fuming now.

„Yes, and it's still none of your fucking business.“

Blaise is avoiding Draco's gray gaze, seeming a little ashamed.

Sam saves them, by glancing at her phone and sighing.

„I got to go. Sorry, boys.“

Harry frowns at her. It's not even eleven yet.

„Really?“

„Yeah, I... shit. I don't think I can apparate. Ugh.“

She sucks on her lip, apparently in distress.

„I can apparate you,“ Harry offers.

Sam hesitates.

„Only if that's really okay.“

„Sure it is. Do you want to go now?“

„That would be good.“

She's already standing, pulling down her dark blue dress. Harry catches Zabini checking out her shapely legs.

„I'll leave as well,“ Draco says.

Only when they're in front of the bar, it becomes clear that Draco didn't really intend to go home. A warm feeling is unfurling in Harry's chest.

Sam doesn't seem nearly as pleased.

After some awkward moments, Draco seems to realize that Sam doesn't want him to come with them.

„Oh. I'll leave, then.“

The look he throws the two of them gives away what he's thinking. Harry doesn't dare hope that what he sees on Draco's face might truly be jealousy.

„Not... not because of that,“ Sam says and Harry wonders why she cares for Draco to know that.

„I just... Look, Harry, why don't you apparate me real quick and then get back to Draco?“

Draco shakes his head, taking a step back.

„No, that's fine, don't worry. I'll just -“

„Sounds good to me,“ Harry says quickly, looking at Draco way too hopefully.

 _He's got a boyfriend_ , Harry reminds himself.

And yet, he doesn't care one bit as he looks into Draco's face, sees the uncertainty there. Sees that Draco wants Harry to come back to him.

„We'll be quick,“ Harry says and reaches out, touching Draco's shoulder.

„Promise,“ Sam says, then she links arms with Harry and tells him the address.

They appear in front of yet another bar, one Harry doesn't know.

„Where are we?“ he asks Sam curiously, looking around. The flashy lights and rainbows suggest that it's a gay bar and he doesn't understand what would make Sam come here.

„I just...

„Sammy!“

Harry and Sam turn their heads.

A girl is walking up to them, tall and wearing a lot of makeup. Only when she's standing in front of them, Harry realizes it's a drag queen. He blinks, surprised.  
Since he's not spending too much time at gay clubs, he's not yet very familiar with the scene. And he'd never thought Sam would be one to go to drag shows.

„Here I am,“ she says, hugging the queen.

She's looking at Harry, mostly curious, a little wary.

Only now, Harry notices the familiar shape of the eyes, even though estranged by fake lashes and a ton of makeup, plus the curve of her nose.

„That's Harry. We're working together,“ Sam says to her, then turns to Harry.

„Harry, this is Otis aka Jasmine d'Arc. My brother.“

The look in her eyes is open and more than a little defiant. Harry wonders if this is a secret. If she's used to judgy strangers.

Harry smiles at Jasmine.

„Nice to meet you.“

Jasmine nods, eyes darting between Sam and Harry.

„Not like that, idiot,“ Sam says, rolling her eyes at her. „I'm just too drunk too apparate.“

„Me too. I'm sorry I called you,“ Jasmine says, flinching.

Harry tries not to stare at her, but he's a little shocked how feminine she looks.

„It's okay. I don't want you to be out there alone all dressed up,“ Sam says and Harry is sure they had had this argument before, because Jasmine just nods.

„Harry, apparate us home?“

He does, or at least to the apparition point nearest to Sam's flat.

„How was your show?“ Sam asks Jasmine, her high heels clicking on the asphalt.

„My performance was good, but I don't think I'll be back at the bar anytime soon. The crowd is weird,“ Jasmine says.

„Why weird?“

„Just a lot of drunks and worse. Have you heard about those new potions?“

Sam and Harry exchange a look.

„What potions?“ Sam asks.

„We call them shooters. They're fucked up. Make people a little crazy, I think. Anyway, there were a lot of people there who had those.“

„Are they that popular?“ Harry asks, a little shocked.

Jasmine looks at him.

„Yeah. Especially in our scene.“

„The drag scene?“ Harry asks.

„The queer scene, I'd say.“

„You don't take them, do you?“ Sam asks, sternly.

Jasmine rolls her eyes.

„Do you think I'm stupid?“

Harry almost smiles at that. With all that makeup and the wig, it's hard to tell, but Harry is almost certain Jasmine is younger than he is.

„Do you know anything about who is trafficking them?“ Harry asks.

Jasmine watches him.

„Many people are.“

„But do you know who brews them?“ Sam asks, eyes sharp.

Jasmine slowly shakes her head.

„No. I mean, I think I know some guys who work with the one who does. They always have the real shit and it's the most expensive.“

„Who are they?“ Harry asks eagerly.

„I don't know their names,“ Jasmine says as if that would be obvious. „I don't hang with those guys.“

„That's good,“ Sam says pronouncedly and Harry doesn't argue.

„Here we are. You go ahead,“ Sam tells Jasmine and she nods.

„Bye, Harry,“ she says and her gaze sweeps over his body before she turns away. Sam smacks her head and Jasmine laughs, disapperaing into the building.

Alone now, Sam turns to Harry.

„Thank you,“ she says.

„It's nothing,“ he says, looking at her.

„I didn't even know you had a brother.“

Sam crosses her arms.

„Yeah, I never told you.“

„Did you think I'd judge? Because that would hurt, actually.“

Sam sighs, looking up at him. Under the streetlights, she suddenly seems young and vulnerable.

„No. Not really. I just... there are so many predjudiced assholes out there, I didn't want to... I guess I'm just so used to not flaunting it around that I didn't think about it twice.“

Harry nods.

He understands. Afterall, he never publicly came out. Not because he was ashamed, but because he felt like it was just no one's business. He didn't owe it to anyone.

„What do you think about what he said? She, I mean?“

Harry cringes. Great.

Sam smiles.

„It's fine. My brother isn't that petty when it comes to pronouns. Usually, when he's in drag, it's she, otherwise he. But as I said, he doesn't care much.“

„Okay.“ Harry smiles sheepishly.

„It worries me a little. I don't want Otis to be around people like that.“

Harry nods.

„And even though it's interesting, I don't know how it can help us. I mean, we can search this bar as well, but... you didn't find anything at the Silversnake.“

Harry frowns.

„But Otis said he's seen some of the important guys around.“

„He _thinks_ they're important.“

„He seemed pretty convinced. So why not just tag along for one night? Maybe we'll find something, maybe we won't.“ Harry shrugs. „It's worth a try, right?“

Sam frowns, then shrugs.

„Sure, why not?“

When Harry returns to Felix's, Draco is gone.

„Fuck,“ he swears.

His heart is pounding painfully in his chest as he does the third lap around the building. Draco really isn't here anymore.

Exhausted, angry and, if he's honest, hurt, Harry leans against the wall and closes his eyes for a moment.

It's for the better, he tells himself.

Draco's not available and he probably wouldn't be a good match anyway, so Harry shouldn't want to spend his nights with the Slytherin.

Why try to get closer if it'd only end in hurt feelings and probably another fight?

He should get over Draco Malfoy as fast as possible.

„Where the fuck have you been?“

Draco flinches, eyes widening at Derek's angry face. He checks his watch. It's eleven PM – not that late.

„You said you wouldn't be home before midnight,“ Draco says cautiously. Derek seems really mad.

„Yeah, plans change,“ Derek says between gritted teeth.

„Why are you so angry?“ Draco asks, hating that he sounds so small.

„You think you can just go fuck around with anyone you please?“

„I'm not -“

„Don't fucking lie to me!“

Derek is shouting now and Draco staggers back, completely on his back foot, not having excpected this.

„Derek...“

The taller man has his hands on Draco's shoulders now, shaking him.

„Who is it?“ Derek hisses, dark eyes narrowed to slits. He smells like alcohol and that makes Draco's heartbeat quicken. Derek is unpredictable when he's drunk.

„There's no one,“ Draco says, pushing pictures of green eyes and black hair out of his mind.

Derek slaps him.

Draco's head flies to the side, his ears ringing. He can taste blood on his lips.

„You fucking liar!“

Draco doesn't say anything, just trembles.

In the back of his mind, he knows his wand is in his sleeve. He could draw it. Could point it at Derek and hex him three ways to Sunday.

And yet he doesn't.

Derek's fist collides with his stomach and Draco doubles over, coughing.

„You filthy Death Eater scum. I took you in, I took care of you, and you go let yourself get fucked by someone else...“

Another blow and Draco thinks one of his ribs is breaking.

He looks at Derek, at his alcohol infused rage and wonders how it could come to this.

Derek doesn't stop. He hits Draco, again and again, throwing insults and Draco is now fearing for his life. This is new. He's never seen Derek this out of control. After what feels like eternity, Derek finally retreats, leaving Draco a shivering mess on the floor.

Draco doesn't move for another few minutes, his arms shielding his face, his whole body hurting. When he does get up, he's limping and tears are mixing with the blood on his face. He stumbles out of the door and hardly makes it down the stairs.

Out of the building, he wants nothing more than to break down on the street. But he knows he can't do this. If it won't be Derek, someone else will come and end what's left of him, so Draco firmly pulls himself together and fights the edges of blackness confusing his vision.

This is not the time to pass out.

He fumbles his phone out of his pocket. The screen is cracked, but it still seems to work.

Blaise picks up after the third ring.

„Draco? Is everything okay?“

„Are you home?“

Blaise looks downright horrified when Draco is stumbling into his flat. Draco doesn't want to know what he looks like that has Blaise Zabini's bored mask vanishing completely.  
„Merlin, Draco. What happened?“  
Now, in Blaise's flat, Draco's legs suddenly can't carry his weight anymore. His friend prevents him from falling by wrapping an arm around his waist.  
Draco hisses at the pain.  
„What happened?“  
„Derek,“ Draco just says as Blaise helps him to the couch.  
„That fucking wanker.“  
Blaise mouth is a tight line. Black dots are dancing in front of Draco's eyes.  
„You have to leave him. Now, Draco.“  
Draco just blinks.  
Blaise hand closes around his wrist. Draco doesn't tell him it hurts.  
„I swear, if you don't stop seeing him, I'll hunt his ass down and kill him. And then I'll be thrown into Azkaban and it'll be your fault.“  
Draco tries for a smile. It's not easy with his split lips.  
„As if you couldn't get away with murder.“  
That makes Blaise smile, if just a little.  
„Promise me, Draco. You can't see Derek again.“  
Draco looks at his best friend and knows he's right. He's known for a long time, if he's honest. But this... Draco can't do his job anymore if Derek breaks his bones on a regular and if Draco can't do his job, he'll lose everything. Every last reason he has to live and he'll join all the other lost souls that have fallen from grace. Being with Derek, Draco has seen that, indeed, life can get worse than it is right now for Draco.  
He doesn't want to end up selling blowjobs for a sickle.  
„Fucking promise me or...“  
„Or what, Blaise?“  
Draco is tired. And he's not scared of Blaise.  
He can tell Blaise now he'll break up with Derek, but in the end, Draco knows that as soon as Derek comes crawling back, Draco will take him because he knows he doesn't deserve any better.  
Blaise's eyes are so dark.  
„Or I'll tell Potter.“  
Draco stares at him, all air leaving his lungs.  
„You wouldn't.“  
„Yes, I would.“  
They stare at each other and Draco can hear nothing but his heartbeat.  
He's known Blaise since he's learned to walk and now he knows that Blaise is serious.  
„You're not that cruel,“ Draco says weakly.  
Blaise laughs, not an ounce of joy in his voice.  
„If this is the only thing that will make you stop this self-destructive behaviour, I gladly will be. If I tell Potter what you let this fucking asshole do to you, you know that Potter will hunt him down. And he wouldn't let it go until he's sure you stopped being such a goddamn idiot. And if that's what it takes, I'll tell Potter that you've been in love with him since our fucking first year at Hogwarts too.“  
Draco feels tears run over his battered cheeks.  
„I hate you,“ he says and in that moment, he really means it.  
Blaise meets his gaze evenly.  
„I love you, even though you've been making me want to rip my hair out for years now. It's enough, Draco. You need to learn some fucking self-respect.“


	4. Chapter four

When Draco comes into the office this morning, Harry drops his pen. And he's not the only one.

The blond looks like he'd had cried all night and Harry is pretty sure that he can see a faint bruise on his high cheekbone.

He's not the only one who notices. Sam is staring at Draco with furrowed brows.

„What happened to you, Malfoy?“

Draco doesn't look at her, just sits down next to Zabini, who has come in with him.

„I'm fine.“

„Yeah, sure you are,“ Sam says.

Terry is trying to catch Zabini's gaze, but the Slytherin pretends not to notice.

„Can I have a word with you?“ Harry asks, as politely as he can manage.

Draco clearly doesn't want to, but Harry can be very insistent.

„Oh... alright.“

Everyone's eyes are on them as Harry closes the door to the office behind them. The hallway is empty. Harry turns to Draco and his heart swells painfully at his broken expression, the devastation in his eyes.

„What happened?“ Harry asks and he doesn't care if it's not his place. Seeing Draco like this shakes him to the core, makes him want to step between him and the world.

„I'm fine.“

But the Slytherin's voice is trembling and Harry can see how on edge he is, how hard he's fighting not to lose composure.

„Draco,“ Harry says, voice thick with emotion.

Draco is hiding his face behind his hair.

With a deep breath, Harry pushes it behind Draco's ears. His hair is soft, like silk and Harry lets his fingers linger just a moment, before drawing his hand back.  
Draco is looking at him, lips slightly parted, eyes huge.

„You can talk to me.“

The Slytherin bites his lip and looks up. Shakes his head.

„I'm not your charity project, Harry.“

„I never said you were.“

Draco is staring at him, anger and desperation pouring from his features.

„Of course I am! You think I need a savior and I don't, okay? I don't need you.“

Harry swallows. Draco's voice is thin and high.

„Maybe not. But I hate seeing you like this. It makes me want to scream.“

Harry's heart is pounding now and Draco is looking at him, eyes flickering over his face.

„I don't understand.“

„Me neither.“

Harry laughs a little, his heart still pounding, this ache in his chest that's always there when he's with Draco.

„Look.“

Slowly, carefully, Harry takes Draco's hands in his. The Slytherin just keeps staring at him.

„I know that this is weird and you don't trust me, but I... I don't know. I just care, okay? I can't explain why, but I really do care about you. A lot. And not just because I might have a little bit of a savior complex.“ Harry tries for a small smile. „You're not my charity project. I simply... hate to see you hurt.“

Draco swallows and Harry thinks he can feel the blond's racing pulse.

„I can't... I don't know what to say.“

„Is someone hurting you?“ Harry asks, trying not to sound too stern, not to let his fury at that person shine through.

Draco looks down. His fingers are twitching in Harry's.

„Draco?“

He still doesn't say anything.

„Is it Derek?“

Harry's heart is pounding loudly in his chest.

Draco swallows.

„It's my problem. I need to deal with it.“

„Not if he fucking beats you up!“

Harry's voice has risen and that has been a bad mistake. Draco draws his hands away and Harry misses his touch immediately.

„I don't want you swooping in and... arresting him.“

„But I should. He shouldn't get away with what he's doing to you.“

Harry wants to step closer, wrap his arms around Draco and hold him tight, promise him not to let anyone hurt him ever again.

But he knows he can't do thas.

Draco's expression has grown soft.

„I ended things with him.“

„Still,“ Harry says, heart in his throat, anxious and somehow out of his body.

„I'm an Unspeakable, Harry. It's not like I couldn't defend myself,“ Draco says quietly.

It takes Harry a moment to digest his words, understand their meaning.

Draco chose to let himself be hurt.

A thick lump is forming in Harry's throat.

„Draco.“

„I'll be okay.“

There's nothing Harry can say.

Draco ignores Derek's messages, as well as he ignores the sickness twisting his stomach that every one of them evokes. After the tenth, he blocks Derek's number.  
The rest of the week, he does his best to ignore how his teammembers are hovering over him, watching him with hawk's eyes. Especially Blaise hardly leaves his side.

It annoys Draco as much as it makes affection bloom in his chest.

Harry keeps his distance to Draco, but Draco notices him looking when he thinks Draco won't see it. It makes Draco's heart pound and he doesn't know what to make of it.

They search Hooch's flat and find samples of the Type A Ipos, that the team calls shooters now. But even in their holding cells, after straining hours of interrogation, Hooch insists that he just bought them.

„I didn't start this,“ he keeps saying, pleading, really.

„We'll have to let him go if we can't prove he was planning to sell them,“ Harry says with a frustrated groan as he and Draco walk back after another pointless hour of grilling Hooch.

„I believe him,“ Draco says.

Harry's eyes study him.

„You don't think he developed them? Or had them developed?“

Draco shakes his head.

„He doesn't seem the type, I don't think.“

Harry nods, slowly.

„You know, Sam and I had another idea. We've... got the tip that some of the more important dealers like to sell at this club in East London. I think it's called Boombarda or something.“

Draco raises an eyebrow.

„Do you want to check it out?“

Harry shrugs.

„It can't hurt. Would you come with me? Sam and Zabini are still busy with the Quidditch lead.“

Draco looks up at Harry and his heart performs this by now familiar somersault.

„Sure.“

Harry smiles.

„Cool. Then let's do it tonight, if you're free. They have a show starting at ten.“

Draco nods.

„Sounds good.“

He knows that it's just a work-thing and yet, it feels like something different. Something has changed between them since Harry told Draco he cares about him. It's not like that would mean the world, but still... it does mean something. Simply that Harry doesn't hate Draco is more than he would have ever thought he'd get. It's a miracle, really.

„Want to get lunch?“ Harry is still smiling and Draco's heart flutters. He nods. Can't help but smile back.

„I could be convinced.“

They walk together through the Atrium and out of the Ministry.

„Japanese again or are you in the mood for something different?“ Harry asks and while Draco is thinking about it, a tall figure is approaching them.

Draco's heart is sinking so fast that he's afraid he might throw up.

„There you are.“

Derek is standing front of them and Draco's heart is hammering, his palms sweaty.

„Why haven't you answered my calls?“

Derek's gaze flicks to Potter and how close he's standing to Draco and hard lines appear around his mouth. Draco swallows.

„Get out of the way, Derek.“

Without warning, Derek's hand jerks forward, but before it can close around Draco's wrist, Draco has raised his wand, pointing it at Derek's chest. The other man stills, watching Draco with astonishment in his eyes.

Blood is rushing in Draco's ears and sweat is pooling at the small of his back, but his hand doesn't tremble.

„We're over. Stay the fuck away from me.“

Derek is looking at Draco. Then he smirks.

„You can't hex me. They'll know,“ Derek nods in the vague direction of the Ministry „and they'll arrest you. Afterall, you're the Death Eater, not me. Who do you think the Aurors will believe?“

Draco swallows. Lowers his hand a fraction.

„The Aurors will believe whatever the fuck I tell them,“ Harry says, teeth gritted. His Auror badge is catching the sunlight.

Derek's full attention is on Harry now. His gaze is icy.

„So you're fucking him.“

Draco can feel Harry tense beside him and his heart is speeding up even more. This can't escalate. Not only his, but also Harry's career is on the line.

„Get the hell out of my face,“ Harry says, voice lower than Draco has ever heard it.

Derek smirks.

„Oh, you just want to. Don't worry,“ his gaze darts back to Draco, something between derogative and obscene, „Draco's easy. He won't say no, will you, babe?“

Draco is frozen, forgetting all about planning to deescalate the situation.

Derek turns back to Harry, who has a right out murderous look on his face now.

„But you might be disappointed. He really just has a fuckable face.“

Harry charges forwards and Draco just so manages to jump between the two, holding Harry back with one arm. He knows people are starting to look at them.

„Just leave, Derek. Find someone else to torture. We're done.“

Draco drags a fuming Gryffindor behind him. Just as he thinks Derek really will let them go, he shouts after them: „Don't come running back to me when he throws you in the trash, Draco.“

His voice is skidding just a little.

Before Draco can react, Harry whips around and says: „Touch him one more fucking time and I'll end you.“

The tone of his voice is sending shivers down Draco's spine. Everyone knows that Harry means it.

Derek throws them one last dirty look, then he turns and disappears. Draco's heart is only slowly calming down. Harry's expression scares him.

„I'm sorry for that,“ Draco says, not able to look Harry in the eye.

„No. Stop... Never apologize for that fucking shit of a wizard.“

Now Draco does look up.

„Can we just forget it? I know a pretty good Italien place around here.“

He tries for a smile and for a moment, he thinks Harry won't budge, will insist to talk about it, but then, he exhales. Smiles, if a little forced.

„Lead the way.“

Only after they sat down and a waiter with an endearing Italien accent has taken their orders, the fear and adrenaline has left Draco's body.

It's replaced with a strange feeling, one that makes him sit up a little straighter, a sphere of light glowing in his chest.

It takes Draco a moment to realize that it's pride.

He just told Derek bloody Connor to go fuck himself. Draco hides his smile by looking down.

„If I'll ever catch sight of this asshole again, I can't make any promises.“

Draco looks at Harry, who is looking at him.

„Derek tends to make one feel this way,“ Draco says.

„How did you end up with him?“ Harry sounds incredulous.

Draco swallows and lifts his chin defiantly, heart pounding again.

„What do you mean?“

„I mean... he's such a fucking wanker and you're...“

Harry trails off, laughing a little embarrassedly.

The feeling in Draco's chest shift.

„I'm what?“

His voice is soft, almost teasing. Harry looks at him, green into gray.

„Brilliant. Smart and snarky and beautiful.“

Draco's heart goes into overdrive, stumbling in his chest and he can only stare at Potter. No one has ever called him brilliant since he was a kid. And the last thing Draco feels he is would be beautiful.

„You're making fun of me,“ Draco says, looking away. His throat is tight.

„What? No. No, I mean it.“

Potter's eyes are big and he reaches for Draco, but Draco pulls his hands from the table, wrapping his arms around himself.

Potter retreats.

„Sorry,“ he says, quietly.

„I don't mean to make you uncomfortable,“ he goes on. „I just... you clearly have no idea how awesome you are. I just wish you could see yourself how I see you.“

„A ferret?“ Draco says.

Harry rolls his eyes. Then laughs.

„I mean, you make for a pretty funny ferret. But no.“

He looks into Draco's eyes and his intense gaze is almost too much.

„As I said, you're... amazing.“

Draco just snorts and Potter shakes his head.

The waiter brings their food and they shift to lighter topics while enjoying the decadent pasta. Draco's stomach hurts a little after they're finished.

„I'm not much in the mood for work right now,“ Harry says, lazily hanging in his chair.

„Nope.“

Draco sighs.

„But we have to. Come on.“

He gets out his wallet, but Harry shakes his head.

„It's on me.“

Draco eyes him.

„Don't be ridiculous.“

„No, for real. I want to… Please. Let me pay.“

Draco hesitates, then shrugs.

„If it makes you happy.“

The mood in the office seems to be rather dim, contrasting Harry's own. He's feeling pretty amazing, even though there are still some lingering remains of anger at Draco's asshole-ex, which he really just wants to hex into Nirvana.

But Draco doesn't want that, Harry knows and he won't risk this fragile friendship they established for the satisfaction of wiping that disgusting smirk off Derek's face.

Draco is sitting next to Zabini, sorting through some files, absent-mindedly chewing on his lip. Harry must stare for a little too long, because Zabini catches his eye. Harry fights the blush as best as he can. Zabini's gaze is hard to decipher.

When Harry is getting coffee later in the evening, Zabini walks up behind him and startles Harry.

„Jesus, Zabini.“

„Apologies,“ the dark wizard says, sounding absolutely not apologetic at all.

While Harry is looking at the coffee machine, waiting for the dark liquid to fill his cup, Zabini asks: „What do you want with Draco?“

Harry blinks. It's not very Slytherin of Zabini to be this blunt.

„What do you mean?“

Zabini narrows his eyes at Harry.

„You know what I mean.“

„Draco and I are friends,“ Harry says evenly. It's not a lie, but not quite the truth either.

You don't think about how your friend's mouth looks so devastatingly kissable. You don't think about your friend's laugh to be mesmerizing.

You don't think about your friend with this strange ache in your heart.

Zabini is sizing Harry up.

„Let me just say this: If you want Draco, then you need to be all in. Draco is a handful and he has no idea how to set boundaries or what a real relationship should be like. So it'll be on you to make sure this thing between you two, whatever it is, doesn't become toxic.“

„Okay, wow. First, you're way off there. Second – isn't Draco your friend? You're not being very nice about him.“

Zabini sets his own cup down with a little more force than necessary.

„Draco is my _best_ friend. You might just see him as this pretty little twink that has just enough snark to make it interesting, but I know him, Potter. I know him and what he's been through and I'm not going to watch another asshole fuck him over. Not even the _Savior_.“

His last words are dripping with sarcasm.

Quietly, Harry says: „I don't see Draco like that.“

Suddenly, Zabini seems tired: „Really? Because I'm having a hard time believing this.“

„Why?“

Zabini takes his mug, his long fingers tracing the rim.

„You're Harry Potter. And he's a former Death Eater. He's been awful to your lot in school and I get if you wanted revenge. But, believe me, Draco has paid. More than he should have, in my opinion.“

Harry's throat clenches.

„I don't want revenge.“

Zabini looks at him, his dark eyes unsettling Harry.

„Then what do you want?“

Harry can't hold his gaze any longer and looks down.

„I... I'm not sure.“

„Figure that out before you start getting Draco's hopes up.“

Zabini takes two full mugs in his hands.

„Oh, and Potter – just so you know: Draco's not available for some casual fun, whatever he might say to you. If I find out you use him as your personal sex toy – and I _will_ , trust me – I'll make you pay for it. Are we understood?“

Zabini doesn't wait for an answer, just walks back to the office with long, confident strides. Harry stands there for a few moments, pretty much gobsmacked.

His first reaction is annoyance. Zabini knows nothing about him – if he did, he wouldn't assume Harry wanted revenge or would want to fuck Draco over or use him as a toy.

But then Harry realizes what Zabini just did.

He, a black man and former Slytherin, just basically told the famous Harry Potter he'd have his bollocks if he dared to hurt Draco – physically or emotionally.

Blaise Zabini is, in fact, a great friend. Harry hadn't realized it before, because Draco and Zabini often seem so tense and they're definitely not the ones for showing public affection, like Harry is used to with Ron and Hermoine.

But now, he knows that Zabini is as protective of Draco as Harry is of Ron or Hermoine.

Which means that Harry probably shouldn't get on his bad side.

When he walks back into the office, Zabini ignores Harry completely. Steaming cups of coffee are set in front of the two Slytherins and Draco is talking to his friend, quietly. Harry can't be sure, but he'd bet his wand hand on that Zabini won't say a word to Draco about his little talk with Harry.

„I hope this is for me,“ Sam says, basically ripping the cup from Harry's hand.

„You're welcome,“ he says, amused as she chugs half of it and flinches, having burned her tongue. Harry wonders whether all Slytherins have an aversion to being nice.

„I'm going to visit Hooch again,“ Sam tells Harry, taking out a small pocket mirror and refreshing her red lipstick.

„Why?“ Harry asks, glancing at the dreaded pile of files in front of him.

„Zabini and I want to check his property for a lab. I still think he might have people brew those Ipos for him.“

„So you won't be coming with Draco and I tonight?“

From the look on her face, Sam completely forgot that.

„Shit, sorry.“

„It's fine,“

„You should ask Terry. I think he'll be free.“

Part of Harry wants to say no. But that's just because he'd rather be alone with Draco and that is stupid. They're going to this bar to investigate, not for fun. If Harry wants to go out with Draco, he'll need to man up and ask the blond for a date.

Suddenly, the famous Gryffindor courage seems pretty far out of reach.

„Yeah, I'll do that.“

Harry almost feels bad when he realizes how glad Terry is that Harry asked him. It seems like the Ravenclaw feels a little left out lately, with Zabini and Sam taking over the Quidditch lead and, if Harry thinks about it, just spending a lot of time together in general.

„I'll see you tomorrow?“ Sam asks, kissing Harry's cheek. Zabini is watching them impatiently.

So is Draco and Harry swallows.

Zabini did say something about Harry not getting Draco's hopes up. It sounded very much like the Slytherin would think that Harry's cause might not be completely lost. Whatever his cause is, exactly.

„Yeah, sure.“

Harry smiles warmly at Sam and then she's off with Zabini, while Harry joins Terry and Draco.

„Let's go then.“

Draco has been to a drag show before, but only once and that was with Derek.

He's surprised how different it feels with Terry and Potter.

The first surprise of the evening had been Terry showing up in a crop top and with glittery eyeshadow that made his baby blue eyes pop. Draco has to admit that the Ravenclaw is really cute and couldn't help but glance at Potter to see if he'd be impressed.

„It's been way too long since I've been out the last time,“ Terry says, eyes shining and Draco finds himself smile a little. He is still struck by Terry's courage, somehow. Maybe not all of the gay community is as predjudiced as most people he met when he was out with Derek.

„Don't expect me to take you seriously when you show up with lipstick and high heels, Drake,“ Derek had once said and laughed, draping an arm around Draco's waist.

Draco had wanted to ask why – Derek had made clear from the very beginning that he was a top, exclusively, but yet he didn't want Draco to appear too feminine. Draco knows that this whole masc-for-masc thing in the community is quite common, but he doesn't get it.

„Don't forget we're here for work,“ Harry says, smiling at the Ravenclaw.

Terry rolls his eyes, then winks at Harry. Draco's stomach churns.

„Sure thing.“

They get a place not too near the stage so they have a better overview over the crowd. Draco can feel some eyes on them and starts shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

He's become a walking paradox – a Malfoy that doesn't want any attention.

Draco used to like being watched, but he's come to feel like the people watching him in clubs always see him a very certain way and it makes his skin crawl.

„You okay?“

Harry glances at him sideways and Draco rolls his eyes.

„Stop looking at me and start checking for drug dealers, Potter.“

The Gryffindor rolls his eyes in return and gives Draco a mock salute.

As soon as the show starts though, Draco himself has quite a hard time focusing on any illicit intrigues.

The drag queens on stage take his breath away. Draco can't wrap his head around how beautiful they are and how... comfortable with themselves. Maybe it's just an act, but they seem so totally fine with being the way they are in a way Draco is sure he will never be.

„That's Jasmine. Aka Otis, Sam's brother,“ Harry says as a new girl steps on stage, wearing shoes that must sport about fifteen-inch heels and a short dress that is showing off endless legs.

„She's cute,“ Terry says, eyes glued to the queen on stage.

„I got to admit, this is really fun,“ Harry says to Draco, scooting close enough for their shoulders to brush. Draco's heart ups its pace.

„Is it?“  
Harry watches him, head slightly tilted.

„You don't think so?“

Draco gives a non-commital shrug.

„I like it,“ the Gryffindor says.

Harry tears his gaze away from the stage and lets it sweep over the crowd.

„I just wish someone would finally whip out some shooters and tell us who his boss is.“

Draco nods.

„Would be nice.“

But that doesn't happen until the show ends and Draco doesn't think it will anymore.

„Hello, Harry.“

It takes Draco a moment to recognize the Asian boy with the confident smirk in front of him as Jasmine. Without the blond wig and fake lashes, he looks so different. Not to mention significantly shorter without the shoes.

„Hey, Otis. That's Draco Malfoy and Terry Boot.“

Otis smiles at Draco, then at Terry.

„Nice to meet you both. I hope you liked my performance.“

He wiggles his eyebrows a little and Terry grins.

„Jasmine is stunning. But Otis isn't half-bad either,“ he says and Draco and Harry's heads whip around in sync. They're exchanging a look with raised eyebrows, grins playing around their mouths.

„I could use a drink,“ Draco says to Harry and the Gryffindor nods enthusiastically.

„You read my mind. Terry, we'll be back in a sec, alright?“

Terry nods distractedly, clearly taken with the boy in front of him. Otis is so clearly batting his lashes at the Ravenclaw that Draco has to suppress a smirk.

„I wouldn't have thought Otis might be Terry's type,“ Draco says as he's standing at the bar with Harry, nursing a bubbly, golden drink. It almost looks like Felix Felicis.

„Not necessarily, but, you know. I think it's nice that not everyone always fits the stereotype.“

„What stereotype?“ Draco asks, watching Harry push his glasses up.

„Well, you know. All this heteronormative thinking that there must be a „man“ and a „woman“ in the relationship. Otherwise known as top or bottom.“

Harry rolls his eyes and Draco tries to cover his blush by taking a sip of his drink.

„But I think many guys prefer a partner, who is... more likely to pass as straight.“

It makes Draco a little uncomfortable how attentively Harry is watching him.

„I mean... I think everyone's different, right? And that's good. It's fine to go for guys who seem a little more typically masculine. Just as it's fine to go for very feminine presenting men. Whatever you're into, right?“

Harry smiles and Draco nods, avoiding his gaze.

„As long as you're not trying to change anybody, that is,“ Harry adds and Draco bites his lip.

„Since when... do you know you're not straight?“ Draco asks. He's had that question since the night at Felix's when he found out Harry is bi.

„Looking back, I think I started to wonder pretty early on. Like, when I was fourteen, maybe. But I didn't recognize those feelings for what they were back then. Then I got with Ginny and for a while, I really didn't think about it anymore. But when we broke up, I began questioning again and decided to just... you know, try it out. And I liked it. So, now,“ Harry shrugs and smiles wryly, „I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care about gender. I like both.“

Draco nods and wonders with how many people Harry has been. Probably a lot. He's famous, afterall, and hot as hell.

„What about you?“ Harry asks.

Draco fidgets a little, then pulls himself together.

„I think... I've always known. From when I first started to think about, you know, sex and all that. But I didn't want to admit it, even to myself. I've spent a lot of time praying the gay away, I'd say.“

Draco shakes his head, a wry smirk tugging at his lips.

„Didn't work out so well.“

„So you don't like women?“ Harry asks.

Draco glances at him.

„No. I always thought it would be easier if I was at least bi. Then I could pretend. But... if you can't get it up around girls, there is nothing really to be done about it.“

Draco shrugs and drains his drink, chasing the bitterness of the liquor.

„I think that might be true, even though... it really comes down to who you fall for. If I wouldn't have been with Ginny in Hogwarts, the papers would have written about me and a guy, maybe. And then the public would think I'm gay, while, now, they think I'm straight. It just goes like that.“

„I never thought about it that way,“ Draco says, watching Harry. „But it must be annoying.“

Harry nods with emphasis.

„It really can be.“

They're silent for a moment, then Harry asks, gently: „I take it your family wasn't... very accepting?“

Draco snorts, more loudly than he intended to.

„That's one way to say it.“

„I'm sorry.“

Draco flaps his hand.

„It doesn't matter anymore, does it?“

„Things like that stick with you though,“ Harry says and Draco looks at him, a lump forming in his throat.

„I guess they do.“

Narcissa hadn't been so bad about it. Draco suspects she had known almost as early as he did. Looking at it now, he's certain that she couldn't have missed the many times a ten-year-old Draco had sneaked into her dressing room and put on her clothes, played with her makeup, marveled at the way her jewelery looked on his pale skin.

But she wasn't brave enough to take a stand when his father told Draco right out that he was a disgrace to the family and if he'd ever catch him with another boy, he'd throw him out and erase his name from the family tree.

So that was that.

Just as Draco contemplates whether this calls for another drink, he notices someone familiar.

Adrian Rogers is standing not that far from Harry and Draco, talking to a woman. They're standing really close and Draco nudges Harry.

„Oh, shit,“ Harry murmurs, eyes fixed on the pair.

Even though Rogers is discreet about it, both men see the galleons the woman slips him.

„Let's go talk to him.“

Rogers sees them approaching and leans his head back, laughing unamusedly.

„For real? You two again?“

„I'd like to see what's in your pockets,“ Harry says, flashing his badge.

Rogers looks at him wryly, then takes out the Galleons, chewing gum and condoms.

„Happy?“

„Why are you walking around with this much money on you?“

„Because I'm working.“

Harry pauses at that.

„What kind of work do you do?“

The look Rogers shoots him is pitying.

„For an Auror, you're really thick, do you know that? I'm a sex worker. One blowjob, five sickles.“

He eyes Harry up and down.

„I would've given you a discount, since I'm really into fit brunets, but you're being a pain in my ass lately. And not in the good way.“

„Just tell us who you're selling for,“ Harry says.

„I'm not selling any shooters.“

„I beg to differ,“ Draco says.

„Well, good luck proving that, Death Eater.“

His eyes narrow.

„I didn't recognize you last time, but now I know who you are. You're Derek's little bitch.“

He furrows his brows. „You do realize it's weird that you're hanging with Aurors, don't you?“

Draco's fingers close around his wand. Harry's eyes flick between them.

„I'll be off now,“ Rogers says and there's nothing either of them can do to stop him from disappearing into the crowd.

Harry turns to look at Draco.

„How does he know you?“

Draco rubs his face. He doesn't have any intention to humiliate himself further in front of Harry, but he doesn't think he'll get away with this one.

„He... Derek had sex with him. While we were together. I've walked in on them once. That's why he seemed familiar. I didn't get a good look at him when it happened, but I remember now. It was at the Silversnake. Derek is there quite often and he didn't always take me with him, but that one time... well.“

Draco can't quite look at Harry. No matter how good he's become at holding his head high when he feels like something that came right out of the gutter, this is a little too much, even for him.

„Derek cheated on you?“

„On the regular. And can we stop talking about it now?“

Draco turns, not wanting to discuss this with Potter.

The first time Derek came home smelling of another guy's cologne, Draco threw a fit. But Derek somehow twisted things so effectively that, in the end, Draco felt like the bad guy. And, also, Derek told him that he could always leave.

„Good luck finding someone else who wants more than one shag from you, just so they can say they've fucked a Death Eater."

That shut Draco up quite effectively.

The next morning, Derek kissed him and apologized and Draco had let it go.

When it happened the next time, he pretended as if he didn't notice.

„I can't believe we've got nothing on him,“ Harry says, interrupting Draco's little trip down memory lane.

„Rogers?“

„Yeah. I'm sure he was just dealing and yet I can't bring him in.“

Draco wouldn't be surprised if a puff of smoke would leave Harry's nose.

„We've interrogated him before. He won't tell.“

„We could tail him,“ Harry says.

If he's honest, Draco's not sure Rogers is worth it.

„Maybe. Let's talk to Sam and the others about it.“

„No bloody way.“

Harry's clearly gobsmacked, staring at Sam, who's positively beaming.

„I told you!“

„It's true. We found Hooch's lab,“ Blaise says, more than a little smug.

„Of course, it won't get the Ipos off the market immediately, but give it two or three weeks and it'll be over.“

At Terry's words, Harry's shoulders sag a little. He's coming to terms with the fact he was wrong.

But was he, really?

Somehow, Draco isn't sure he trusts this supposed happy ending yet.

„We're sure, Draco,“ Blaise says, apparently reading him correctly.

Draco gives a curt nod.

„Well, then I guess I'm off your team.“

It's clear that the others hadn't even thought about it until he said it.

„Right,“ Harry says and Draco likes to think there's disappointment in the Gryffindor's tone.

Draco tries for a light shrug.

„I bet Granger will be over the moon to have me back.“

„She actually really will be glad,“ Harry says. „She just told me a couple days ago that she misses you.“

That's probably just because most of the other Unspeakables Hermoine works with are old and mostly sexist, but Draco'll take it.

„Well, that calls for a celebration, doesn't it?“ Samantha says, smiling at Blaise. Draco watches the two of them closely.

Everyone is in, only Harry says: „It really sucks, but I can't tonight.“

„What? It's Friday. We always go out on Friday.“

Samantha is sulking.

„I know, but I promised Teddy I'd be with him tonight. It's been the last day of school before winter hols.“

Teddy must be Harry's godson. And Draco's cousin.

„Winter hols? He's not in Hogwarts yet, is he?“

„No, elementary school. Dromeda wanted him to go and I think it's a good idea.“

Briefly, Draco wonders what his own mother would say if someone suggested Draco'd go to a muggle school.

„That's lovely,“ Terry says.

„Well, then we don't want to keep you from your parental duties,“ Samantha says, briefly wrapping an arm around Harry.

Even though Draco truly thinks the two of them are just friends, it does sting quite a bit.

„But you go without me. You're right, it really is a day for celebration.“

Draco smiles, even though it doesn't feel like it for him. He didn't really contribute anything in solving this case and... he doesn't want to leave the team. He's never worked with people that respected him like this lot does. And he's never quite respected any of his coworkers like this either.

When the others are already out of the door, Harry calls for Draco.

Draco turns around, raising an eyebrow.

„What is it?“

Harry's standing in front of him, hands shoved into his pockets, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

„I was thinking, since, you know, I can't be there today... maybe we should make it up, by... going out tomorrow?“

Draco nods.

„Sure, I'll ask the others.“

Harry bites his lips. His shoulders are tense.

„Actually, I meant... just us. You and me.“

Draco's heart speeds up so rapidly that it's a painful jolt in his chest.

„You want us to go out for a drink? Alone?“

Harry nods, swallowing.

„Or, maybe coffee? I'd like to go out for coffee. With you.“

Something warm and fluttery spreads in Draco's body.

He tilts his head.

„Are you asking me on a date, Harry Potter?“

Harry cracks a grin, still traces of uncertainty lingering.

„I am.“

„You're insane,“ Draco says and means it.

Harry just shrugs.

„Maybe a little. So, do you say yes?“

He looks at Draco with those piercing green eyes, so guiless and hopeful and Draco has a hard time breathing.

„I'm seriously doubting your mental state right now, but... yes.“

The smile Harry gives him makes Draco weak in the knees. Harry looks happy.

„Perfect. Great. I'll pick you up at... three tomorrow? And we'll go for coffee.“

„You don't know where I live,“ Draco reminds him.

„You could tell me.“

„I'll just... meet you here. Or, better, at Felix's. Is that alright?“

Harry nods, still smiling.

„Sure. I'll see you tomorrow, then.“


	5. Chapter five

As Draco enters the bar, he can feel Blaise's eyes on him immediately. He slides on the chair across his friend and raises a brow.

„What?“

„What did Harry want?“ Samantha asked, crossing one leg over the other, eyes sparkling.

Draco hesitates. He's not sure Harry would like for the whole team to know.

„Don't worry, we all know already that he's got the hots for you,“ she says, a devious grin on her face.

Draco's own face heats.

„Yeah, Harry is an open book,“ Terry adds, grinning as well. Only Blaise doesn't seem all that thrilled.

„So, are you finally going out? Or – wait...“ Samantha's eyes grow huge. „Are you two already doing it?“

Draco raises an eyebrow, giving his best to be nonchalant.

„Wouldn't you like to know?“

The Slytherin girl grins.

„Oh, I would. Harry's quite handsome and so are you, darling,“ she says to Draco.

„Did you and Harry...?“

Samantha laughs and, again, Draco doesn't miss Blaise's eyes on her.

„No, hell. I mean, we tried once, two years back, but... no. We're not for each other, I'm afraid.“

Draco doesn't want to show his relief. He wants to show even less that it actually bothers him to know that Samantha and Harry had tried. Whatever that means, exactly.

„So, are you single?“ Draco asks, lifting the Firewhiskey the waiter just brought him, to his lips.

„I might be.“

„Sorry, I'm late.“

Draco almost spills his drink as Pansy sits down beside him, slightly out of breath.

„I didn't know you were coming,“ he says, perplex.

Pansy rolls her eyes. Her makeup is on fleek as always.

„Don't sound so excited.“

She takes his glass and chugs half of it. Then, she turns to Samantha.

„I'm Pansy. You must be the famous Samantha Parker.“

Samantha seems more than a little irritated at this greeting.

„I am. Nice to meet you.“

„Oh, I feel like I already know you so well. Blaise just wouldn't shut up about you. Would you, darling?“

Draco laughs at Blaise's expression – he seems about to murder Pansy.

„That's interesting,“ Samantha says, clearly pleased.

„Plus, I've heard you, Draco, finally sent that wanker of a boyfriend to hell. I'm so proud, love.“

Draco smiles.

„Cheers.“

Everyone toasts (Pansy pretends to).

It doesn't take long until Draco is pleasantly tipsy. Pansy is leaning into him, talking mostly to Samantha and Draco realizes he's missed his friends. He really has.

Draco's not surprised how well Samantha and Pansy get on. Afterall, they do have a lot in common.

„I honestly can't believe you're finally going at it with Potter,“ Pansy says, grinning at Draco. Her dark lipstick is just a little smudged.

Draco sends a sharp look her way. She really doesn't need to get started on how obsessed Draco had been with Harry back in Hogwarts. It's embarrassing enough that Blaise actually told her how he'd caught Draco wanking once with Harry's name on his lips.

To this day, Draco's not sure he's quite over that.

„I'm so glad you two are going out,“ Samantha says, leaning into Pansy, watching Draco with a dreamy expression. „Harry's such a sweetheart.“

Draco shifts in his seat. He doesn't want Samantha getting the wrong impression.

„I don't think it's like that.“

Before Samantha can answer, Draco turns to Terry.

„What about Otis? Have you seen him again?“

Terry bites back a smile.

„Not yet, but we've been texting.“ A shadow crosses his face. „The thing is, he's only nineteen. Really young.“ The Ravenclaw sighs. „We'll see.“

Samantha peaks up.

„You and my brother?“

Terry ducks his head.

„Um, nothing happened yet. But I was thinking about asking him out – if that's okay with you?“

Samantha pauses, then shrugs. Smiles.

„Sure, go ahead. But my brother can be a lot.“

Terry grins, relieved.

„Oh, he surely won't be worse than my ex.“

Speaking of exes – Draco shivers just thinking of Derek. Everytime he's alone in the streets, he keeps looking over his shoulder.

„How are things going with Rose?“ Blaise asks Pansy.

She takes another sip of her Firewhiskey.

„Honestly... it's a little rocky right now.“

Samantha looks at Pansy curiously. Most people are somewhat surprised when they find out that she likes girls, especially because Blaise and her had been a big thing in eighth year.

They stay out until well after two in the morning, laughing like old friends. Some of them really are.

Harry is nervous.

He's pacing Grimmauld up and down, checking the clock again and again and freaking out.

It's been a while since he's been on a date. The last one had been with Simon and that was almost a year ago.

After that, Harry just hadn't been in the mood.

And now, he not only has a date, but he has a date with Draco Malfoy. The same Draco that had been his nemesis as a teenager, his enemy during the war, his coworker and star of all Harry's recent wanking fantasies.

What could possibly go wrong?

As he expected, Harry's the first one to arrive. It makes him smile that he had been right about Draco wanting to be fashionably late.

He doesn't make the Gryffindor sweat for too long though. Only five minutes after Harry arrived, the Slytherin approaches him.

Harry swallows, suddenly stunned. With his silver-blond hair falling around his face and those rather tight jeans and tucked in shirt, he looks gorgeous.

„You look good,“ Harry manages to croak out and Draco touches his hair, then straightens his back and smiles at Harry.

„I know.“

They don't really talk, just keep glancing at each other as they wait in line to order.

When Draco orders something awfully sweet and over the top, Harry starts grinning.

„What?“ Draco asks.

„You've got a horrible sweet tooth.“

Draco flips his hair back a little.

„Just because I refuse to drink this watery, bitter concoction you call black coffee, doesn't mean I've got a sweet tooth.“

Harry eyes him for a moment.

„Yeah, you totally do.“

Draco's small smile at that makes Harry's heart flutter.

If there's one thing Harry didn't expect for this date to be, it would have been easy.

And yet, that's exactly what it is. There are no awkward silences and almost no uncomfortable tension. They both avoid risky topics and the conversation flows easily.

Harry is shocked when he glances at his watch and notices that three hours have just so passed by.

When they finally leave the coffee shop, they're standing on the street, in front of each other. Draco has his arms crossed against the cold and Harry's heart is pounding loudly again, demanding attention.

„So...“ Harry starts.

„So,“ Draco says, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

„That was fun.“ Harry looks into Draco's pale eyes. There is something so daring, yet so uncertain in them that makes Harry's chest tight.

Draco tilts his head.

„You're easy to please if that was fun for you.“

Harry's heart is hammering now, so much it's almost painful.

„I mean, it's not like I wouldn't have any other things in mind we could do.“

Internally, Harry cringes. That sounded way more forward than it had in his head. He'd meant for it to be more subtle and less... horny.

But Draco doesn't seem bothered.

„Do you? Pray tell.“

Harry steps a little closer, watching Draco's face. He can see when his breath is starting to come short.

When Harry leans in, Draco's eyelids flutter. His eyes are huge, fixed on Harry's. His chin tilts up and he uncrosses his arms.

Harry closes the remaining distance and presses his mouth to Draco's. Soft, gentle, at first.

When he draws back, Draco's eyes are closed. Harry smiles.

Draco opens his eyes.

„What?“ His voice sounds so broken that it goes straight into Harry's heart.

„I've wanted to do that for quite a while now.“

„Then why are you talking?“

Harry shakes his head at this impossible Slytherin, then his hands come up to Draco's waist, pulling him close as he kisses him again, more fiercely this time. Draco rests his hands on Harry's chest.

Experimentally, Harry lets his tongue flick over Draco's bottom lip. The moan the blond makes goes straight to Harry's groin. The Slytherin opens his mouth and suddenly, there is nothing careful or slow about their kiss anymore.

Draco tangles his hand in Harry's hair, pulling him closer, and the slide of their tongues against each other is almost frantic.

When they pull apart and Harry sees Draco's face so close, his heart aches. His hand comes up to caress Draco's cheek. His skin is soft under Harry's fingers. Draco pulls back just a little more, looking at Harry's collarbones. His hair is falling forward again, Draco bending his head so it'll cover his face. Harry brushes it back and puts one finger under Draco's pointy chin to lift it.

„Are you hungry? We could get dinner...“

„I'm not that hungry,“ Draco says, gray eyes boring into Harry's and all the blood in Harry's body rushes south.

„Oh. Okay. Um, you could also... come back to mine? If you want to, that is. We could just -“

„Yes.“

Harry blinks.

„Okay. Cool.“

He leads Draco to the next apparition point, his legs a little weak, heart pounding.

When he turns to him again, Harry lifts his arms.

„May I?“

Draco nods and Harry pulls him close. Together, they're spinning into darkness.

Draco needs just a moment to regain his balance as they land on a dusty carpet in what must be Harry's home.

„I'm sorry, it's not very clean,“ the Gryffindor starts, but Draco has never cared less about a house and its state of cleanliness.

An unfamiliar need has taken over him, a need that had more than ten years to build up. There is a fire in his belly that he's never felt before, not quite like this, and as long as the opportunity is on offer, he'll sure as hell take it.

He reaches up and kisses Harry, pouring all his want in the kiss and the brunet responds with the same eagerness, which almost knocks Draco off his feet.  
Harry walks them to a sofa and ungracefully drops onto it, pulling Draco on his lap. Harry looks so beautiful like this, green eyes bright and clouded with lust, hands possessive on Draco's hips.

They kiss, messily and Draco can feel how hard Harry is through his denims. It's heady and surreal that Draco's the one who made that happen.

And yet, Harry's not really taking things further. His hands roam over Draco's back, his sides and hips, but nowhere else and it confuses the Slytherin.

If he wasn't so helplessly turned on, he'd worry about it, but right now, he's too out of it.

He sucks on Harry's throat before moving lower, his hands slipping under Harry's shirt. The Gryffindor's hands move back to Draco's hips, then over his back and Draco's whole body is on fire.

„Draco,“ Harry breathes as the blond slides to his knees, hands on Harry's thighs.

His name falling from Harry's mouth like this makes Draco ache with want.

His fingers are shaky as he opens Harry's zipper, slides down his pants. Harry helps him by lifting his hips and Draco's heart is hammering against his chest. For a moment, he's just looking and, someone help him. Harry Potter is absolutely fucking perfect. Of course he'd be.

„Hey. You don't have to. You know that.“

Draco blinks at Harry before going down.

The moan leaving Harry's mouth is obscene.

„Fuck.“

Draco knows he's good at this. If it comes to giving head, Draco's absolutely confident in his abilities.

„You're a natural,“ the guy he'd given his first blowjob to had told him and even Derek had repeatedly voiced how good Draco was at this. And Derek didn't tell Draco that he was good at anything very often.

Harry clearly seems to enjoy himself and the noises he makes are so fucking hot that Draco wonders if it's possible to come just from that. Harry's hand is tangled in Draco's hair, not pulling though and it only spurs Draco on to take him deeper, not caring that his jaw hurts.

„Fuck, Draco, I'm -“

When Harry comes, his whole body freezes and Draco can proudly say he's swallowed every last drop, even though it did happen rather abruptly.

He sits back on his heels, jaw aching and so hard he thinks he'd come from one single stroke. He smirks up at Harry, who looks positively wrecked. The Gryffindor strokes a trembling hand through Draco's hair and it does things to Draco's heart the Slytherin isn't entirely sure he likes.

„I'm sorry. I wanted to give you a warning. I didn't think, I'd...“

Harry laughs, clearly embarrassed, and Draco's chest is so tight.

„You're just so beautiful.“

Draco rolls his eyes, doesn't want to show how much this affects him.

„I'd rather say I'm really good at sucking dick.“

„That too.“

Harry's hand has wandered, is now caressing his face, tracing his lips. He slips one finger into Draco's swollen mouth and Draco is so, so hard, he thinks if he can't come soon, he might die from the tension.

Yet, he doesn't move. Just looks at Harry, not really able to breathe.

The Gryffindor smirks.

„Come here.“

Draco can just follow as Potter pulls him up, back into his lap. Just from the contact, Draco moans. Embarrassed, he buries his face in Harry's neck.

„You're so hard,“ Harry says quietly, almost astonished.

Draco can't breathe, squirming in Harry's arms. He's above embarrassment now. Nothing matters anymore except for finally getting off.

His hand wanders down and he wants to touch himself, but Harry catches his wrist.

„No. I want to.“

Draco bites down on his lip, hard, as Harry opens his jeans and slides them down, along with his pants. Draco is so gone already, he can't even be worried about Harry's reaction. It's not like Draco would be small, but he's not exactly big either. Derek hadn't been impressed.

When Harry's fingers close around him, it costs every ounce of self-control Draco has to bite back the most embarrassing moan of his life.

Harry turns his head, kissing his throat, sucking bruises into his skin as he's jerking Draco off. It doesn't take long and Draco comes with his head thrown back, moan caught in his throat and fingers digging into Harry's shoulders.

It takes him a while to calm his breath, find back into his body. Harry is holding him close, whispering something incoherent into Draco's neck and this is all so new, so much, Draco almost wants to run.

When he finally lifts his head to look Harry in the face, the Gryffindor kisses him. It's sweet and soft and Draco doesn't think he's ever been kissed like this.

„You think we could have some dinner now?“

It's weird, being back in his old office. Granted, the Department of Mysteries if more impressive than the Auror Headquarters with the many rooms that hold the most exquisite secrets of wizardry. But Draco misses his team. Blaise, of course, but also Samantha and Terry. He's come to really like them, he realizes.

And Harry.

Well, it's probably better that Draco doesn't work with him anymore. Even though it's not technically forbidden, shagging your coworkers is definitely frowned upon.

Whenever Draco thinks of Saturday, his cheeks warm and he can't help the smile that's spreading over his face. Draco's not even surprised that Harry Potter broke every record in Draco's sexual experience with one bloody handjob. It's Harry, afterall.

And yet, it's not just the sex. It's also how they'd talked at the coffee shop, how Harry had kissed him when Draco slowly came down from this earth-shattering orgasm and the fact that they'd had dinner afterward. Over takeaway pizza, Harry had kissed him and even though Draco pretended to be annoyed that the Gryffindor thought it acceptable to snog him tasting like cheese and garlic, they both knew he'd loved it.

And, yes, Draco knows that he's already feeling way too much.

He spent most of Sunday with contemplating why exactly Harry had wanted to take Draco home – if his fetish for blonds really was that full-fledged or if the thought of fucking a Death Eater gave him some sort of sick thrill.

Draco found that he doesn't care, which ought to worry him, but... he's made so many shit choices about love and sex in the past, Harry Potter won't be his worst mistake.

He might be the most painful one, but Draco has been through worse than heartbreak. As long as Harry will enjoy pulling Draco close, Draco will soak it up, get everything he can out of this.

„Okay, what's up? It's not possible you're just this happy to see us,“ Ron says, putting his butterbeer down and frowning at Harry.

Harry doesn't even bother to hide his smile.

It's been two weeks now since this first, glorious date with Draco and Harry has since been walking into lampposts and smiling and smiling like a maniac.

Draco sodding Malfoy is going to be the death of him and Harry doesn't care one bit.

Not if he gets to have Draco panting in his bed.

Harry doesn't think he'll ever forget the look on Draco's face when Harry told him he'd suck him now or the way Draco's flat stomach flutters when he's turned on.

They'd been out three times, to dinner, the movies and for a drink.

On two of those dates, Harry had gotten to take Draco home and knows now for sure that no one in the world can give better blowjobs than Draco Malfoy. He also knows that Draco is shy about sex and that his pale skin flushes when he's aroused. He knows that Draco likes to nip at Harry's bottom lip and that it turns him on when Harry leaves love bites on his skin.

More than that, Harry also knows that Draco is vegetarian, that he loves cats and is scared of small spaces.

And, at last, Harry knows that he's falling for this snarky Slytherin git.

Now, he's really not sure how Ron will take that information.

„So... I've been seeing someone.“

Ron's eyes light up. He was starting to get worried Harry'd end up alone and bitter.

„That's bloody great! Who is it?“

„Draco Malfoy.“

It's hilarious, the way Ron's expression freezes, then slowly shifts.

„You're joking.“

„Nope. I'm serious. I really like him.“

Ron blinks and settles back in his chair. Looks away. Looks back at Harry.

„Okay, well... like to fuck him or like him?“

„Both, I guess.“

Harry laughs.

„Merlin, Harry.“

„I know. It's strange, but... he's different. Not like he was in school at all.“

Ron takes a long sip, then sets his butterbeer down.

„This is your business and even though I can't see the appeal... I guess you do you. Or him, for that matter.“

Ron's face twists in mild disgust.

„Just be careful, mate. Really careful. You shouldn't trust him that easily.“

The urge to talk back, defend Draco, is strong, but Harry just nods. He understands Ron and knows he can be glad his reaction is this calm.

„Oh, and, to be honest – I wouldn't tell mom and dad unless you're sure it's serious.“

„I am serious. I mean, sure, it's new and all, but... from my side, I want it to be real.“

Ron looks at him concerned.

„I know. Just... give it a little time, alright?“

„I will.“

„I can't believe this.“

Sam stares at the report in front of her, a hard set around her mouth.

„We got him, damnit. It's Hooch.“

„Well, he never did confess,“ Terry says, ducking his head a little.

Sam throws her long hair back, annoyed.

„But he had a lab. In which he brewed shooters.“

„That's one thing – just shooters,“ Harry says. „There were no traces of the other type.“

Sam sighs.

„I so wanted this to be over.“

She looks defeated and Harry puts a hand on her shoulder.

„We all did.“

Zabini looks at the report. Five new cases of people being hospitalized because of those damn Ipos.

„Hooch must have really told the truth when he said he was just trying to figure out the recipe of the shooters.“

Harry tries not to be too annoyed that Sam and Zabini didn't think it was necessary to tell him this.

„Was he successful?“

„No,“ Sam says, rubbing her eyebrow.

„I guess it's time for Draco to get his ass back into our office,“ Zabini says, standing up and leaving in search of Archer.

„It's all a mess now,“ Harry says to Draco as they walk through the nightly streets, the cold biting into their skin.

„The reputation of Ginny's team is in the gutter, and rightfully so, and we still don't know who's behind all this.“

Draco hums sympathetically.

„I'm frustrated too. But we'll find them. Eventually.“

„Yeah.“ Harry sighs. „Better sooner than later.“

He turns back to Draco, taking in his face, the gray eyes, the pristine curve of his nose.

„Are you coming back to mine?“

Draco's gaze flicks up, then drops again.

„Yes.“

Harry is never sure what's going on in Draco's head when he gets so quiet and curt.

Without overthinking it, Harry reaches out and takes Draco's hand, lacing his fingers through Draco's.

When they close the door to Harry's home behind them, Harry kisses Draco. He doesn't stop even when they're taking off their coats, making it a rather difficult procedure. Harry is laughing against Draco's lips as his arm is stuck in the coat and the way Draco is looking at him then goes right through Harry, into the marrow of his bones, to his core.

He pulls Draco close and lifts him up and, just like Harry had imagined so many times, Draco wraps his perfect legs around Harry's waist.

It's not that easy, carrying Draco up the stairs, especially not while kissing him and once, Harry almost falls.

„Careful there,“ Draco says against Harry's cheek and Harry laughs, breathlessly.

He pushes the blond against the wall, taking some weight off Harry and they kiss for what feels like forever and Harry feels like he could just keep doing this. There's no real need for more.

Draco is panting softly and Harry tries to catch every moan with his mouth.

He still has to figure out how to get Draco to really let go. He's always so in his head, even when they're together like this.

„Can I take you to bed?“ Harry whispers, looking at Draco. He just nods, a tiny movement.

„Draco?“

Draco's bright eyes find Harry's.

They kiss again and then Harry pushes them off the wall and walks them into the bedroom, dropping Draco on the huge bed.

They undress without hurry and Harry keeps his eyes on the beautiful man shifting on his covers. When Harry slowly lowers himself, every inch of their bodies is touching. Chest to chest, Harry can feel the erratic beat of Draco's heart.

He's never felt him like this before, so fully, completely.

It makes him _want_.

He's wanted this since – well, since he realized he wants Draco, but he doesn't know if it might be too much, too soon.

Draco looks at him and the vulnerabilty in his eyes takes Harry's breath away.

„What are you waiting for, Potter?“

Leaning up, he catches Harry's bottom lip between his teeth.

„We don't have to, you know. I'm perfectly fine with waiting.“

Draco swallows.

„You don't want to?“

Harry rolls his eyes and leans down to kiss him firmly.

„Stupid Slytherin. Of course I do. So much, you have no idea.“

„Show me, then.“

Harry frowns, lightly.

„Are you sure? I feel like you're not sure.“

Draco glares at him.

„Don't tell me how I feel.“

„Sorry.“

It takes a while of running his hands over Draco's belly, of sucking at his throat, pressing kisses to his mouth, until he relaxes again, wrapping his arms around Harry's neck.

„I want you, Harry,“ he says and that simple statement is almost enough to push Harry over the edge.

„I want you too. More than you could know.“

Draco arches his back a little, presses their bodies together.

„Can I finger you?“ Harry whispers into his neck, suddenly strangely shy to ask for this.

Draco nods and shudders.

Harry is careful. He uses too much lube and kisses Draco and takes his time.

He is watching Draco come undone under him, writhing and finally, finally letting the moans out he's normally holding back and he looks so beautiful like this,

Harry has no idea how he has wound up in Harry's bed.

„You look like an angel,“ he says, twisting his fingers. He's found that sweet spot that turns Draco into a keening mess.

He's kissing Draco's throat and the blond's legs are trembling.

„I'm ready,“ Draco chokes out and Harry just smiles, lightly biting at his throat.

„I want you to come like this.“

He runs his tongue over Draco's jaw, feeling the tremors going through the blond's body.

„Harry.“

„You feel so good,“ Harry says, his lips brushing Draco's cheek and Draco is tensing, moaning.

„Like this, baby. Come for me.“

Harry didn't expect him to, but Draco actually does, painting both of their bellies white. When the shaking has subsided, Draco throws an arm up, hiding his face. Harry frowns, pulling at it.

„Draco?“

„Hm.“

He doesn't want to look at him.

„Are you okay?“

The blond still avoids his gaze and anxiety is flaring in Harry's chest.

„Did I hurt you?“

„No.“

„What is it?“

Now Draco looks at him, if only briefly.

„I... thank you. But I should go.“

_Thank you?_

„Draco, what the hell is going on?“

Harry can only sit there, confused and scared and mad, heart pounding. Draco needs less than a minute to get dressed.

„Draco.“ Harry is pleading now, but he doesn't care.

„I'll see you at work,“ Draco says and with that, he's out of the door, leaving Harry behind.

Draco makes it just out of Grimmauld Place before the tears are starting to fall.

He's such an idiot. Such a stupid, godammn bloody idiot.

He knew Harry Potter was too much. He knew from the start. And chose not to care.

And now, he finds that he can't handle it.

There is no casual with Harry. It's just not possible.

Not when he does things like this, makes Draco feel like this. He can't handle it. Already, the prospect of losing Potter is taking his breath away.

And lose him, Draco will, that's for sure.

„Fuck.“

He wipes his face.

He needs to do something. Something productive, something to take his mind off things.

For a moment, he stills, considering his options. Then he heads to the next apparition point.

The Siversnake isn't that packed on a Wednesday at ten, but there are enough people here to make Draco alert.

He knows it's pretty much a shot in the dark, but somehow, he's got a good feeling about this.

It only takes two hours until Draco spots Adrian Rogers. He weighs his options and decides to go for the head-through-wall one.

„Rogers.“

The guy doesn't seem surprised to see Draco here.

„What do you want?“

„The truth.“

Rogers side-eyes him.

„Don't you already know?“

Draco swallows. Yes, he thinks he does.

„It's Derek, isn't it? He's the one who had those potions developed.“

Rogers smiles blankly.

„Fifty points to Slytherin.“

Draco's heart is heavy.

„I'm assuming you didn't tell the Aurors about your suspicion?“

„It was more like a feeling.“

Derek's favorite bars as hottest traffick points, his favorite hooker dealing – it was just a feeling. Plus, he didn't like Draco working the case at all.

„How did he do it?“ Draco asks. He didn't know Derek had those kinds of connections.

„Through you.“

Draco stares at him.

„What do you mean, through me?“

„He used polyjuice and met with one of your father's old business friends. One of the few that are still walking free, that is.“

„My father's friends all hate me now.“

Rogers shrugs.

„But you are an Unspeakable. You have influence. And a wand, mind, unlike most of them.“

Draco can't believe it.

„So he'll pin it on me, if it's ever going to be necessary,“ Draco says slowly. It's almost funny, thinking about it.

„Yup.“

Rogers looks at him with something that might almost be pity.

„The Aurors will find out eventually,“ Draco says.

„Not from you, I'd guess.“

„It doesn't matter. They will, with or without my help.“

„Not if you lead them on the wrong track.“

Draco's heart is sinking further and further into ice.

„I can't do that. They'll fire me. Put me into Azkaban.“

„They'll do the same if they catch Derek. You're a Death Eater, Malfoy. Derek managed to keep his records surprisingly clean. They won't believe you.“

Draco's heart is pounding in his chest, his fingers tingling. He feels numb.

„You don't have a choice.“

No, Draco never does, does he?

When Draco stumbles into Pansy's flat, Blaise and her are sitting on her couch, playing cards.

„Draco, love. What is it?“

He is so tired. So incredibly tired.

„Just wanted to see you.“

They scoot over, making room for him. He sits between them, head hanging down.

„Are you alright?“

Pansy is stroking his hair and it reminds Draco of Harry and that makes his tears fall silently.

„What did Potter do?“ Blaise's voice is sharp.

„It's over.“ Draco's own voice is rough. „I can't do casual with Harry. And it doesn't matter anymore anyway.“

„I'll kill him,“ Blaise says matter-of-factly.

„Don't, please. It's my fault.“

„Draco, what happened?“

Pansy sounds so concerned that Draco's heart warms.

„There is something I have to do. I just wanted to... I guess see you. It's been way too long. And I'm sorry for neglecting you because of Derek.“

„Yeah, that was amazingly stupid of you,“ Pansy agrees, still stroking his hair.

Draco smiles wryly.

„I'm known for that.“

And he's probably about to prove it once again, because, afterall, Draco does have a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one last chapter to go!


	6. Chapter six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go… last chapter!

When Harry comes into the office the next day without a wink of sleep, he thinks about turning around and walking right out again, as long as Draco isn't here yet.

He's not sure he'll survive seeing him.

But the choice is quickly taken away from Harry by Blaise charging at him, wand raised, pointing at his throat.

„I warned you, Chosen One. I told you to leave Draco alone. You're going to fucking pay for this.“

A pile of files on Blaise's desk bursts into flames.

„Whatever Draco told you, this is not my fucking fault, okay? Tell him it's rude to fucking walk out on people without a fucking word.“

Blaise eyes are flickering, but before he can say anything, the door opens again. Sam comes in, face made of stone.

„They've arrested Draco.“

Harry is the first to arrive at the holding cells. Seeing Draco behind bars breaks his heart.

„Auror Potter -“

Harry just pushes the guards aside and is standing before Draco in a blink, reaching through the bars, trying to take his hands. Draco backs away.

„What the hell happened?“ Harry's voice is short on breaking.

„I'm sorry,“ Draco says, eyes huge.

„Auror Potter, you need to come with us.“

Heavy hands are settling on Harry's arms and for a moment, he's afraid he might blow up the whole building.

As Harry is being pulled away, Draco comes rushing forward, hands gripping the bars.

„It wasn't me, Harry,“ he shouts and Harry has never heard his voice so desperate before. „I wasn't lying, I swear. Harry, you got to -“

The Aurors have dragged Harry out of the room before Draco can finish his sentence.

„He's telling the fucking truth!“ Harry rages.

The Aurors look a little scared of him. Sam puts a hand on Harry's arm to calm him.

„Why would Draco come forward with this if he's guilty?“

„Because he knew he was about to get caught any day now and tried to save his neck with a desperate maneuver.“

Harry growls.

„Draco is smarter than that.“

„We've brought in Mr. Connor as well. He denies to have done any of the things Unspeakable Malfoy accuses him off. He also denies to have known about Malfoy's illicit affairs.“

Harry wants to scream at all of them.

„Of course he would do that,“ Sam says sharply. „Derek Connor is the one who's trying to pin it on Draco. Not the other way around.“

„Mr. Yaxley says it's Malfoy he's made a deal with. Not Connor,“ the older Auror says.

„Yeah, because Connor was in polyjuice,“ Harry says through gritted teeth.

„There is no way of proving that.“

„Yaxley did say that their meeting didn't exceed one hour.“

„That is not prove,“ the kinder Auror says.

„Search Connor's flat! I'm sure something's there.“

„Malfoy used to be there all the time. He was Connor's boyfriend, afterall.“

Desperation is washing over Harry.

„When exactly did Yaxley, and the person you say was Malfoy, meet?“ Sam asks.

Harry looks at her, trying to control his anger. She meets his eyes and the penny drops.

If Harry wasn't so head over heels for a certain blond, he'd kiss her right now.

„That was the second of Novemeber, between five and six PM,“ the younger Auror says.

Harry smiles, triumphant.

„Well, there you have it.“

„Have what?“

„Draco can't have been there. Because he was with me.“

A stunned silence follows this statement.

„Why was he with you? What did you do?“

„We've been at my place. We used to have an affair, back then. He's my boyfriend now.“

Both of the Auror's jaws drop to the floor.

„But he can't prove it!“

The older Auror's voice is heated, but Harry doesn't care. He only has eyes for Draco, who is standing in the middle of the room, not handcuffed or otherwise confined, but wandless.

Bones furrows her brows.

„Auror Potter, can anyone vouch for you?“

Harry hesitates the shortest of moments.

„Hermoine can. She's known about it.“

When Hermoine enters the room, her gaze lands on Harry first.

„Yes, Madame Bones?“

Harry stares at her intently, praying she won't let him down. The Aurors ask her where Harry'd been on the day in question.

„I don't remember,“ Hermoine says. „What day of the week was that?“

„A Tuesday. Auror Potter told us, Unspeakable Malfoy would meet him at his home. Can you confirm that?“

Hermoine takes a minute, seeming to think about it.

„Yes, I can. I told him it's not right to sleep with someone else's boyfriend, but he wouldn't listen.“

Hermoine looks at him.

„Sorry, Harry.“

„It's okay.“

Internally, Harry's singing.

„I'd say this Alibi is proving Malfoy's innocence way more effectively than your accusations would prove his guilt,“ Madame Bones says and Harry sees Draco's jaw drop.

„You're free to go, Unspeakable Malfoy.“

„I'll see you at work tomorrow,“ Hermoine says, smiling at Draco before she leaves the room.

Draco is still completely dazed when Harry leads him out of the room.

„You scared me shitless, Draco. Why -“

Before Harry can continue, Blaise is striding toward them and Draco finds himself wrapped up in his friend's arms, leaving him a little stunned. Blaise isn't really one for showing affection physically.

„You stupid idiot,“ Blaise says, then pulls back. „Why the hell didn't you talk to me about it first? Or Pansy?“

Harry looks at Draco as if he'd have wondered about the same thing.

„Because you two would have tried to talk me out of it,“ Draco says.

Blaise opens his mouth, then closes it again. He knows Draco's right.

„And it would have been the smart thing to do. You could have been thrown into Azkaban.“

There is the faintest shake to Blaise's voice, a tell-sign of his fear for Draco.

„I had to make the confession. If I hadn't, it would have made me look even guiltier.“

Harry reaches out, takes Draco's hand.

„You shouldn't have lied for me,“ Draco says, not looking at Harry. He pulls his hand away. His heart is heavy.

Harry seems taken aback. Maybe he expected a thank you.

And he probably deserves one, but all Draco can see is how he's ruining Harry's life.

Harry has always, since he was a kid, thrown himself in front of the gun pointed at someone else. If there is one think Draco doesn't want, it's to be just one more person Harry has to save, risking his own safety in the process.

„If they find out you lied to protect me, you're career will be over and I'll end up in Azkaban,“ Draco says, trying to make Harry understand how foolish his decision was.

Harry is such a Gryffindor sometimes, it drives Draco insane.

„What else could I have done?“

Draco looks at Blaise and is surprised to see that his friend is apparently hurting for him.

„You could have just written a letter saying you believed in my innocence and then get the hell away from me.“

Harry takes a step back and Draco can't stand seeing the hurt and confusion in the brunet's eyes.

„I just wanted to help.“

„You always just want to help. But I told you before – I'm not your charity project.“

Draco forces himself to look into Harry's eyes and as he does, he knows he just made a terrible mistake.

Harry's face shutters.

„You're a fucking asshole, is what you are.“

The Gryffindor turns and storms away, leaving Draco with his chest full of barbed wire.

„Just... give him space. If it's meant to be, he'll come back to you and if not... you'll find someone better.“

Sam is petting Harry's back and Harry doesn't think he's ever seen her this uncertain on what to say.

Sam and Terry are sitting in Harry's living room, sharing a bottle of the finest firewhiskey with him.

So far, Harry's drunk more than the two of them combined.

„I just don't get it,“ he says, aware he's being whiny and insufferable.

Terry and Sam exchange a look.

Since he's shown up in a glittery top and fitted jeans plus golden eyeliner, Terry had apparently been about to go out when Sam told him about Harry's desperate floo call and she dragged him over to cut losses.

„Slytherins are complicated,“ Sam says and her dark gaze tells Harry that she's not just thinking about him and Draco anymore.

„Zabini?“ Harry asks, watching her, leaning against the sofa.

Sam rolls her eyes, trying to hide her pain behind a mask of annoyance.

„He's just... a stupid dick, honestly. I thought he'd just play jerk, but, turns out, he really is one.“

Terry frowns.

„Why?“

Sam takes another sip of firewhiskey.

„Doesn't want to commit.“

She grimaces as the burning liquid is running down her throat.

„I mean, I didn't ask him for fucking marriage. But I'm not into, you know, open relationships and stuff.“

„Such a dick.“

Harry takes the bottle from her and chugs the rest. His head is spinning and he still feels like shit.

„Men really are asshole,“ Terry agrees and Harry nods slowly.

„We need another bottle.“

He summons one wandlessly and the Ravenclaw lifts his brows.

„That's hot.“

„Thanks. At least someone thinks I am.“

„I bet on everything blondie is just insecure,“ Terry says and Harry snorts. He doesn't want to be reasonable right now. He's hurting and wants to be mad at Draco.  
Because if he's not mad, it'll just be more painful.

„Yeah, still I think that it's on him now to do something about it,“ Sam says, definitely more than a little tipsy. „I mean, insecure or not, he's a grown man and Harry shouldn't chase him if he's just being a dick about it.“

„Yeah,“ Harry says, staring blankly ahead, hating his life.

His chest hurts and he can't believe that this is affecting him so much. They've been on four dates, Jesus. That's not anything. And yet.

„I just miss him,“ Harry mumbles.

„Don't be dramatic,“ Sam says, rolling her eyes.

Terry lightly swats her head with his hand.

„Let a man sulk.“

„Alright, alright. I mean, I do understand you,“ she says, a reverent expression clouding her face. „Blaise really is a sex god.“

Terry laughs and Harry almost spits a mouthful of firewhiskey over the dusty carpet.

„Details, Sam. We need details,“ Terry says.

Sam crosses her legs and looks smug.

„Let's just say he's really versatile. And giving.“

Harry grins, then thinks of Draco again and feels this horrible stab in his heart.

„So... are you, like, friends with benefits now?“ Harry asks.

Sam sighs, suddenly sounding really tired.

„I don't know. I planned to break it off. If I'm honest though... I'm not sure I'll be able to resist.“

„He's really that good?“ Terry asks.

Sam nods slowly.

„Yup.“

She takes another sip.

„But as I said, he doesn't want more than that.“

„Sounds familiar,“ Harry says, the bitterness in his voice surprising even himself.

Terry frowns at him.

„I don't think Draco wanted nothing more than a shag.“

„Seems like it though.“

Harry swallows against the tightness in his throat.

„Sometimes I really can't believe you,“ Pansy says, taking the glass of firewhiskey from Draco.

„I think you did the right thing.“ Blaise takes a sip from his own glass.

„Shut your mouth, Blaise,“ Pansy says.

„Potter is clearly mad for you,“ she tells Draco, but he just laughs.

„Come on, Pans. He's Harry Potter.“

„Your point?“

„I'm Draco Malfoy. There is just... there's no us.“

Pansy slides from the couch and sits down in front of him, her dark eyes gleaming with fierceness.

„Potter just lied to the whole Auror department to protect you. Plus he told everyone you two are in a relationship – while he hadn't even been out at work. All to save your skinny, ungrateful ass.“

Draco swallows. When she says it like that...

„It's just his dumb hero-complex. Potter pities me. And I don't want his pity.“

Pansy rolls her eyes and drops her head into her hands.

„You're so stupid, I don't know what to do with you. Blaise? Help me.“

Blaise bites his lip, apparently unsure.

„I don't know. I still think going out with Potter is a risk and could cost you your career. But I also think... that I might have been wrong about Potter. The way he sees you.“

Draco snorts. Then tears are stinging in his eyes. Hoping has always went bad for him.

„How do you think he sees me?“ Draco asks because he's pathetic like that.

Blaise hesitates.

„I think he likes you.“

Draco tries to swallow down the lump in his throat, but it doesn't work.

„Yet I also still believe that if this thing between you blows over, you'll be the one who's screwed. Not him.“

That's not news.

„I'm just... I don't know if I can take him leaving me when he's got enough. “

It takes Draco a lot to admit that out loud, even to Pansy and Blaise.

„But you don't know he'll leave, love.“

Pansy's voice is soft.

„Don't be daft, Parkinson. Of course he will.“

„You don't see yourself very clearly, Draco. I know you think you're not good enough for Potter, but, really, you're worth three of him. You're smart and witty and absolutely gorgeous.“

Draco sighs.

„And you're a liar.“

Pansy throws her hands up in defeat.

„Whatever, Draco.“

Blaise eyes him and Draco steals his glass back from Pansy and chugs it.

„Did you sleep with him?“

Draco pauses, circling the empty glass in his hand.

„Depends how you define it.“

Pansy and Blaise exchange a quick look with raised eyebrows.

„Okay... was that your or his decision?“ Pansy asks.

Draco thinks about it for a moment. He's not sure, really. He's used to Derek setting the pace and just following his lead and Derek had always wanted to get into it pretty quickly. No pun intended.

With Harry... the first time, it had actually been Draco who pushed things. After that... he really doesn't know. It felt like they'd been pretty much in synch.

And the last time... Draco had been sure that, when Harry had asked to finger him, he'd actually meant fuck him.

Draco has never just been fingered. Derek had seen it as a necessary prelude to sex and, honestly, Draco hadn't even really been aware that you could do it simply for fun. He is still blushing just thinking about that night.

„I'd say it was his decision. I think I made it clear that I... would be down if he wanted it.“

„And did you?“

„Did I what?“

„Want it.“

Draco's brows knit together as he looks at Pansy.

„Yeah.“

„But, really? Because, honestly, love... I don't think you ever really did with Derek.“

Draco opens his mouth. Closes it again.

„No. I didn't, really. But I do with Harry. Just...“

„Just?“

„It's probably stupid, but I'm somehow... afraid he'll think I'm bad at it.“

Draco's cheeks are burning and, really, he shouldn't always get this drunk around Pansy and Blaise.

„I mean, I know that I don't really have to do anything, I just... I don't know. Feel like I'm bad at it.“

Pansy and Blaise exchange another look and Draco hates them a little.

„Love, I'm absolutely positive that you don't have to worry about that.“

„Yes, because Potter and I are over.“

Draco shakes his head in a weak attempt to clear it. He's being a fool, he knows it. This is not about sex.

This is about the fact that Harry and Draco, they are so clearly bad for each other. Harry makes Draco desperate, just like Derek did – only way worse. He makes him do and say things he'll be ashamed of later on and will, most likely, get him arrested in the end. No one would trust a former Death Eater around their holy Savior.

And Draco... Draco will only end up destroying Harry's reputation because the Gryffindor is so stubbornly set on saving him.

Being in the office without Draco is strange.

Being without Draco is strange, period. Harry didn't expect it would be possible for him to miss the Slytherin this much and here he is, pining like a fifteen-year-old.

He cringes when he thinks about last night. After Sam and Terry left, Harry had been wasted and heartbroken and floo-called Hermoine. Judging by her dishevelled state, he must have woken her, but she didn't complain.

„He just left, Hermoine,“ Harry had said, slurring his words quite badly.

Hermoine's face had grown soft. She'd understood that statement in a way Sam and Terry couldn't have.

Because no matter how fond Harry is of his work friends – they're more than that by now, really – they havn't been around like Ron and Hermoine have.

Hermoine knows that, for Harry, being left is a deep-rooted fear that might have played an important part in why exactly his relationship with Ginny had ended as well. Being left – and being betrayed.

Too many people Harry has loved in his life had left him. First his parents, then Sirius, Remus and, of course, Dumbledore. And the latter had not only left him, but lied to him about everything, right from the beginning.

It had taken a lot of liquor for Harry to first open up about all of it to his best friends. They already knew most of it anyway and yet, it had helped to talk to them about it.

Harry knows he has a tendency to be overly jealous, overly protective. He also knows he has a temper.

„Oh, Harry. He didn't leave. Not really,“ Hermoine has said, voice full of sympathy.

„He's not dead, if that's what you mean. But he still left me.“

„Draco has been through a lot. From what I've gathered through watching him and what you've told me, he's just out of a very bad, probably toxic relationship. He's still far from healed. You can't expect him to be reasonable all the time.“

Harry swallowed and, drugged by alcohol, in the dark in front of the flames in which Hermoine's face had danced, he admited something he didn't even dare to think in the security of his own brain until then.

„Maybe Draco's right. Maybe I am bad for him. His ex... I don't know the half of it, but I think he abused him. Physically and emotionally. He was... I think over-jealous. Called Draco a cheat.“

Hermoine stayed quiet, waiting for Harry to go on.

„And I can't help but think... am I not like him? I mean, I'd never hurt Draco. Never. But I'm also jealous and over-protective and I can be possessive and...“

Harry's voice had broken then. Essentially, Harry was afraid of himself.

„Harry James Potter, you're not like Derek. Not one bit, do you hear me? Derek is badly damaged from what, I can't know, and he's hurtful and sadistic. He might have loved Draco in his own, twisted way, but he doesn't know what it feels like to truly love. You do, Harry. You're the most loving person I know.“

Harry had stared at the empty glass in his hand.

„I want to give Draco everything. I want him to be happy and free and I just... What if being with me would hold him back?“

Hermoine smiled.

„The fact that you're here, saying that, tells me that you never would.“

Harry looks at his desk without seeing any of the wooden patterns on it. Hermoine's words are resonating inside of him.

She's right. Harry would never hurt Draco. Never hold him back. He knows that.

He stands, so abruptly that Sam and Zabini both eye him suspicously.

„I'll be back in a couple hours,“ he tells them.

When Ginny isn't flying around the world with her team (which, of course, isn't flying at the moment at all), she's spending most of her free time that isn't reserved for training in the flat she's been sharing with Luna for three months now.

Harry hasn't visited them once – he didn't really think it would be wise.

But now, he's standing in front of the bright door, shivering from the cold.

The look on Ginny's face as she opens up is priceless.

„Harry. I didn't know you were coming.“

She looks cozy in her big training sweater, red hair piled in a knot on her head and thin pajama bottoms.

„Yeah, it was a spontanious decision. Can I come in?“

Even though Harry is nervous, he also... isn't as affected by Ginny as he usually would be.

He has the distinct feeling that they're about to have a long overdue conversation.

„Why did you break up with me?“ Harry asks as they're standing in the kitchen, which is small, but light with a lot of flowers.

Ginny huffs out a breath.

„Merlin, Harry.“

„I'm sorry. But it's important. I wasn't really listening to you back then, I was too angry. And then you just wanted to move on and I guess I just never really found closure. So, please. I'd really like to hear why.“

Ginny looks at him out of those warm brown eyes that Harry used to adore.

„Okay. Well,“ she starts, picking up a half-full cup of coffee. „There were a couple reasons that all had to do with one another, I think. For once, I simply felt too young to settle. I didn't want to think about marriage and children and all that stuff just yet. And I felt like you did. Then a big part was... Harry, you know I love you, but you were a lot, sometimes. I just started to feel like you were suffocating me. You... I think you like your partner to be really needy and I'm just not. At all. I need my freedom and my space and I don't like to be babied.

"But the biggest thing for me was, I think, that you didn't see me anymore. You saw your best friend's sister, your surrogate-mother's daughter. You saw a secure future with kids and a house and a pretty girl to take care of. I don't think that you ever loved me. At least not in the way I want my partner to love me.“

Harry looks at her, trying to take it all in. To his own surprise, he finds himself understanding. Not getting angry. He sees the truth in what she's saying.

„You said I suffocated you,“ he says hesitantly. „I'm really sorry for that. Could you be... more specific? Like, what did I do wrong?“

A knowing smile is spreading on Ginny's face.

„Oh, now I get it.“

She pauses, looking into her cup, then up again, thoughtful.

„Well, you're the jealous type, for one. Then you're so possessive. And you need a lot of reassurance.“

Harry swallows, trying to make his voice sound light.

„So, basically undatable?“

Ginny's smile at him is gentle. Real.

„Not at all. Just undatable for me. I mean, for starters, I don't believe you're that bad anymore. You've grown, I can see that. Plus... not everyone hates jealous partners. It can be a turn on for some. If you don't overdo it, of course. But you're not like that, Harry. Same goes for possessive. And the reassurance thing... many people need that. And many don't have a problem giving it, for the most part, at least. But I do. That's why I love Luna. She doesn't need me to be there constantly. She doesn't need me to baby her and she definitely doesn't try to baby me. Both of us need a lot of space. That's how we work. You're different and that's why you and I didn't work out.“

Harry is absorbing her words.

„So... any advise for future relationships?“

Ginny raises her brows.

„Who is the lucky one?“

Harry hesitates. Then decides that it doesn't matter anymore. Ginny will know soon enough. If Harry gets this lucky, of course.

„Draco Malfoy.“

That seems to come as a surprise.

„Really? Wow.“

Harry just shrugs.

„Well, I don't really know him. But... he's alway been such a princess, hasn't he?“

„He's an Unspeakable, Ginny. He's wicked strong and smarter than anyone I know. Except for Hermoine, maybe.“

That makes both of them grin.

„I didn't mean it as an insult,“ Ginny says. „And as for advise... let him breathe. But, most importantly, get to know him. Really know him. As I said before, I used to feel a little like you had this... image of me in your head and that's why you didn't see how things weren't working for me. Don't make the same mistake twice. Just... look at him. Talk to him. Figure out who he is and what he needs. And, of course, think about who you are and what you need. Then you'll see whether you can be good for each other or not.“

Harry smiles at her, rather impressed.

„I didn't know you've become such a wise old lady, Gin.“

Ginny lightly punches him (which, for her, isn't all that lightly).

„Luna is rubbing off on me,“ she says fondly.

Then she sobers again.

„Is there anything you want to say to me as well? You always seemed like you were still really mad at me.“

Harry takes a moment to consider this.

„I think... I just wished you'd have talked to me about it earlier. Because, yeah, maybe I could have picked up on some things myself and I didn't, but I'm not a mind reader. For me, it felt like you just started slipping away and I didn't know what I've done wrong or why you were upset with me. And then you just suddenly left and I was standing there, alone, not knowing where I went wrong.“

Ginny pales a nuance and nods.

„I'm sorry for that. You're right, I could have... I should have been more open.“

„You never gave me the chance to fix it.“

„I don't think there was any fixing it, but I get you.“

Harry smiles at her and for the first time in years, he can look at her and see his friend. The girl that grew up to be so fierce, way braver than even Harry ever was.

When Harry is walking back to his office, he's taking big steps, busy putting together a plan that will win Draco Malfoy over.

It's not that easy – Harry isn't one for plans and grand gestures. He usually just figures things out as he goes and trusts his gut. But this is too important to just watch things unfolding. He needs to be smart, otherwise he'll lose Draco. And that, Harry couldn't bear.

Due to his dynamic stride, Harry almost sends the person running into him flying to the ground.

They both stumble and when Harry looks up to apologize, his heart skips a beat.

It's none other than Draco standing before him, looking just as stymied as Harry feels.

„I didn't expect to see you here,“ Harry says for a lack of anything better.

Draco fidgets and pushes his hair back. A nervous gesture Harry is familiar with by now.

„Yeah, I – do you know whether they've arrested Derek?“

Harry tries his very best to hide the tiny sting of disappointment. It was foolish of him to hope Draco would be here because of Harry.

„They did, but trials are still going on. I doubt that he'll worm his way out of it though.“

 _I'll make sure he_ _won't_ , Harry thinks, but doesn't say. Afterall, he's working on not being over-protective, isn't he?

But he sees that Draco knows what he is thinking and doesn't seem all that bothered – just fondly exasperated.

It takes Harry some effort, but he goes on: „He's asked for you.“

Draco tenses.

„I doubt it would be smart if the Aurors would see me visiting him.“

Harry hesitates. Another effort.

„Honestly, I don't think it would make any difference. They know he's your ex and we convinced them to believe your story, not his.“

„Which is the truth,“ Draco says, more than a little sharply.

„Yes,“ Harry agrees, softly.

Draco's light hair is falling over his pristine eyebrows. The curve of his mouth makes Harry want to trace it with his tongue.

„Do you want to talk to him?“ he asks.

The Slytherin looks away and exhales.

„No. But I think... maybe I should. There are... a lot of things I never said to him. Things I should have said.“

Harry nods, quietly.

„If you'd like, Zabini could escort you there. Wait in front of the cells.“

Draco bites his lip.

„I'm not sure that's a good idea. Blaise hates Derek more than I do, I think.“

„Can't blame him,“ Harry says without thinking.

Surprisingly, Draco just nods.

„I could come with you, too. If you'd like that.“

The look in Draco's pale eyes is so uncharacteristically warm and so torn at the same time, it makes Harry's heart ache in agony.

„Thank you, but no. I think I have to do this alone.“

Draco's heart is hammering in his chest as he is standing in front of the closed door, behind which Derek will be waiting for him, cuffed to the table.

His nerves are so wrecked, Draco almost turns on his heels.

Almost.

Instead of tugging his tail though, he takes a deep breath and enters the room.

Derek seems a little worn out, but still handsome. Even now, Draco can see the appeal. He still remembers the moment he lay eyes on Derek in that bar, tall and strong and his gaze solely on Draco. He'd smiled at him and asked whether he would fancy a Firewhiskey. And Draco had smiled back and told him he might.

Now, Derek doesn't smile.

„Draco,“ he just says and Draco's heart is still pounding, but he keeps his calm. He doesn't sit down.

„I wasn't sure I wanted to see you,“ Draco says.

Derek hesitates.

„I'm sorry. I didn't plan to throw you under the bus.“

The apology throws Draco off. But he won't let himself be manipulated again. Derek is a king in guilting Draco into doing things, believing things, he doesn't want.

„That's exactly what you planned,“ Draco snaps at him. „But it didn't work out so well, did it?“

Derek grinds his teeth, but doesn't answer.

„I just wanted to tell you that I couldn't be more glad I came forward. It put you here, afterall.“

„You didn't put me here, Draco. That was Potter.“

Draco swallows. Shakes his head.

„No. It was me. I figured it out and I made a confession. Not Harry. Even though he did help me and I'm thankful for that.“

„He'll hate you as soon as they find out that he covered for you.“

Draco shrugs, pushing his anxiety down.

„I doubt they will. Afterall, everything else we said is the truth.“

„He'll never love you the way I do,“ Derek says.

Draco doesn't blink.

„No. He's not capable of what you call love.“

Derek laughs.

„Oh, please, Draco. Don't make me out to be the bad guy here. I took you in. I build you up. If it wasn't for me, you'd lie somewhere dead in the gutter. I shared everything with you.“

„You lied to me! You used me and abused me and... I let it happen. Because, as Blaise kindly informed me, I had no self-respect. He was right. And I want you to know, Derek: You're not stronger than me. You held me down because I let you. Everything you did, I allowed you to do, because I felt like I deserved it. Which was fucking stupid, but... I can't change it now. But you knew that, didn't you? You knew how... pathetic I can be. How lonely I was.“

Now, Draco can't hold Derek's gaze anymore. This was a mistake. Those waters are too dangerous. He shouldn't have started with that, not now. There is still too much damaged inside of Draco to be strong about this.

„I'm sorry for hurting you. I never meant... I know I've lost my temper with you, more than once. I shouldn't have. Draco,“ and Draco is shocked to see Derek almost pleading. „I love you. I just... wanted to keep you.“

Draco swallows.

„You never respected me.“ It's something he hasn't thought about before, but now he thinks this is what it all comes down to. „If you did, you wouldn't have hit me. You wouldn't have made me feel weak and dirty and disgusting just so I'd be too scared and ashamed to walk away. You wouldn't have raped me.“

The words hang between them.

„Stop that. We both know I never raped you.“

Draco's heart is pounding again, his palms sweating. This, he has never told anyone. Never talked about with anyone.

„I don't know what the law would say. Maybe you'd be right standing before a judge, I don't know. But you... I told you no. Twice.“

„I asked you again. You said yes.“

Draco's skin is crawling. He wishes he could shed it like snakes do.

„But you knew I didn't want it.“

 _You already had your dick in me_ , he thinks, but somehow can't get the words out.

„How would I have known, Draco? You never say anything.“

Derek has the upper hand again, Draco can feel it, and he's sweating and feels his heart pounding and he's back there again, asking himself what's wrong with him. Feeling like a failure because, somehow, he always, always ends up being over-sensitive, struggling with things others have now problem with.

Feeling like a whore, because, apparently, he's no good at anything other than shut his mouth and take it. And even that isn't really something he excels in.

„Because you didn't want me to,“ Draco says, wanting to sound loud and angry, but ending up weak, insecure.

„I thought you'd like it that way.“

But Derek never asked how Draco liked it, didn't he?

If he thinks about it, Draco realizes _he_ doesn't even know how he likes it. How could he?

„It doesn't matter now,“ the Slytherin says, slowly pulling himself back together. Knowing what he just said isn't quite true. „We're over, for good. I don't want to see you ever again.“

Derek's eyes narrow, but Draco is almost sure he can see something like panic in them

„And if it's true that you're actually looking for love, Derek,“ Draco starts, meeting the brunet's gaze evenly. „Then I suggest you take your time in Azkaban to really think about what you did and how you act. And then probably top it off with a few years of therapy before you can even think about trying to love someone the right way.“

Draco turns and leaves, ignoring Derek calling for him.

„I'm so proud of you,“ Pansy says when Draco calls her after work and tells her about his uncomfortable talk with Derek.

„Me too,“ Draco says.

There is a lot of stuff he has to work through, he knows that. There has probably never been a time in his life when he hadn't been fucked up and maybe, there never will be.

But his friends are right: It's on Draco to start making the right choices. Other people can love you and support you and take some weight off your shoulders, but they can never save you. You have to do that yourself.

When Draco is standing in front of Grimmauld Place, his heart is beating faster even then when he'd talked to Derek.

With a deep breath, Draco knocks.

Harry clearly hadn't expected any visitors. His always messy hair is sticking to all sides, his glasses are askew and his sweatpants have holes in them.

Draco wants to jump him and ravage him right here on his front porch.

„Draco.“

There is so much surprise and so much emotion in Harry's voice that Draco's heart grows tight.

„Harry.“

„Is... everything okay?“

It's been almost a week that they didn't talk. Maybe Harry has already moved on. If so, Draco will have to deal with it.

But first, he has to try.

„Yes, everything is fine. I'm just here to ask you out. On a date.“

Harry blinks.

„For real?“

„Yes.“

The smile that slowly spreads over Harry's face makes Draco's insides flutter with delight. He's missed this smile so much.

„As a fair warning though: I'm a mess, Potter. A trainwreck, actually. I'd say I'm definitely undatable and horribly complicated and wouldn't advise you to take me up on my offer and yet, I have to ask you out. Because I've been thinking about you all the time. I've missed you and I want you and I want to try.“

With one swift motion, Harry sweeps Draco off his feet and into his arms, burying his face in the crook of Draco's neck. Draco breathes in Harry's intoxicating scent and holds on tight.

„Yes. Yes and yes and yes. I want to try too. I've missed you too. So fucking much, Draco.“

The blond hums contently.

„Are you free tomorrow then?“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end of part one of the Choices Series... I hope you liked it! Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment. There really is nothing more encouraging than to see readers invested in what happens to the characters.  
> I'm already halfway through the second part of Choices and I think I'll post the first chapter soon.  
> Until then, thank you so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As everyone always says and you probably already know: Comments and Kudos are very, very much appreciated.  
> I'm fairly sure there'll be six chapters in the end - and a second part!  
> I'm planning on posting a chaper every day.  
> Oh, I almost forgot - this work isn't beta-read, so please forgive any mistakes I'm sure you'll find.


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